Majority shareholder Ed Schwartz has flown over to the UK to hold talks with CEO Mark Ashton and manager Kieran McKenna as the Blues seek to keep the Northern Irishman at Portman Road, TWTD understands.
Over the last few days, McKenna has emerged as a target of Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United and Chelsea with his representatives understood to have held talks with all three clubs.
But Town remain hopeful of keeping the man who has guided them to back-to-back promotions at Portman Road for their first Premier League campaign in 22 years.
We understand Schwartz, the CEO of ORG, the US investment firm which manages funds on behalf of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), the club’s majority owner, flew over from the States earlier this week especially for the talks with Ashton and McKenna.
Schwartz and Blues CEO Ashton were spotted together yesterday at the Salthouse Hotel - and pictured by a fan with those images passed on to TWTD - with the Blues trying to do everything they can to keep McKenna at Portman Road. We understand he is also set to speak to McKenna while in Ipswich.
A new more lucrative extended deal seems certain to be part of the discussions with McKenna already contracted to the club until the summer of 2027.