Chelsea’s interest in recruiting Blues boss Kieran McKenna to replace Mauricio Pochettino has diminished, TWTD understands.

The West Londoners are believed to have held talks with McKenna’s representatives following Pochettino’s departure by mutual consent early last week.

But, while McKenna is understood to have been under serious consideration, former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi now appears the frontrunner for the job with Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, who had initially been their first choice, still in the running.

Yesterday, Manchester United, thought to be McKenna’s preferred destination should he leave Portman Road this summer given his previous history at Old Trafford and lifetime support of the club, beat their great rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final at Wembley with current boss Erik ten Hag widely praised for his game plan.

Despite carrying off the silverware, United are set to hold an end-of-season review in the next week, with Ten Hag’s performance a key aspect assessed, before making a decision on his future.

McKenna is certainly in the running for the United job should Ten Hag face the sack - and is the odds-on favourite with some bookies - but with that situation seemingly unlikely to come to a swift conclusion.

The Seagulls remain very interested making McKenna the successor to De Zerbi, who left by mutual consent at the end of the season, but we understand won’t wait around for too much longer before moving on to other targets.

As reported on Friday, Ed 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, is over in the UK to hold talks with CEO Mark Ashton and McKenna as the Blues pull out the stops to keep their manager at Portman Road with a new extended contract certain to be on the table.

Discussions regarding potential successors also seem likely to form part of the talks between Schwartz and Ashton with Luton’s Rob Edwards having been tipped to be among those on the list of potential replacements.

McKenna, contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2027, took over at Town in December 2021 and since then has led the club to successive promotions and into the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

Photo: TWTD

HighgateBlue added 10:35 - May 26 Good news on the face of it, but it might just mean they've been told that he's going to United. Fingers very crossed...
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Bellevue_Blue added 10:38 - May 26 Hopefully, that will ease the United's board fear that it's 'now or never' and that if McKenna stays (or even goes to Brighton! Please no) they can still get him in a year or two ....
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joyousblue added 10:42 - May 26 Surely if he is under contract then he is legally our manager until 2027 ,it cant be like a player who pulls a strop because he Wants to leave , whats he gonna do play lesser players lose on purpose , dont think so and of its purely about contracts and money then while i love you think your a genious trust in you ,then please go you accepted your contract inc wages ,so while i appreciate the lure of the. Challenge snd the money your not short of a few bob with your wages now , i mean no disrespect and im happy to be proved wrong in my opinion like you i want him here

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Tommy_ITFC added 10:50 - May 26 That's a good start COYB
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RegencyBlue added 10:51 - May 26 So this fiasco is going to rumble on for at least another week then, we are having to dance to Uniteds tune before we know if we retain our manager or not. Regardless of the agent’s agenda here he works for McKenna who ultimately must be OK with having his name openly hawked around multiple PL clubs. I don’t have a problem with him leaving but the way it’s been done is disrespectful to Ipswich in my opinion.

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bluearmy78 added 10:53 - May 26 I honestly don’t think he’ll be going anywhere & Poch for me will go to Utd if Ten Haag is sacked. Brighton are an established Premier League side but apart from that I can’t see the attraction of Kieran going there. At Town he’s loved by everyone & he’s got a free reign to strengthen the squad where he feels we need it
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blueboyd added 10:53 - May 26 Poor McKenna, his ego will have taken a battering knowing a big club do not see him as the messiah. He has shown absolute disrespect for this football club, I fail to see why people still think he will be comitted to us. His fear of relegation and tarnishing his reputation is nothing short of disgraceful.
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Wonky added 10:54 - May 26 Joyousblue. There's a publicly known release clause so yeps he can leave if he wants.
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Len_Brennan added 10:56 - May 26 We don't know what he agreed as part of his new contract though; there is likely to be a top 6 clause or even specifically a Manchester United clause. It's until 2027 yes, but with certain permitted exceptions. If this report is correct, his position has weakened unless he has received assurances over the Man Utd job. Brighton won't wait around much longer, & as every day of speculation passes, our transfer position weakens too. The surprise FA Cup win for Ten Hag might have complicated things somewhat, or necessarily delayed his sacking, which isn't ideal for anyone ... except Ten Hag of course.

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jollyroger added 11:00 - May 26 With united winning F A Cup . And playing in Europe next season i think they may think the job is to big for him at the moment ..hopefully .
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tractorfromongar added 11:02 - May 26 Rob Edwards...not even in the same league as McKenna (pun intended)
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trublulax added 11:02 - May 26 Completely agree with RegencyBlue. After being so successful it is a shame that McKenna would appear to be keen to leave so quickly and come what may - to me that leaves a sour taste and does hint of disrespect to the club who have him a chance. If reports are to be believed he/his reps would have met with Man Utd/Chelsea just days after the bus parade and players dinner. I still hope this is all a media storm but we can not have a manager who does not want to be here/grow with us.

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Elwood added 11:06 - May 26 Keiran's third choice. Not much changed.
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ChrisR added 11:08 - May 26 He seems to want to go , even to Brighton . If he stays it must affect badly his relationship with the players and the club in general , real shame all round compared to three weeks ago . I almost hope he crashes and burns with whatever club he goes to next!
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martin587 added 11:16 - May 26 My only concern in all this managerial roundabout is that it could cost us in the transfer market with the uncertainty of who will be in charge at Portman in the coming weeks.I understand all the complications with regard to agents etc and I accept the club cannot make any comments on the issue until it is resolved but as supporters it would be nice to hear one way or another very soon.

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SuffolkPunchFC added 11:16 - May 26 Another day, and another repeat of some fans jumping to conclusion and speculating. There is no evidence that Kieran's agent is promoting a move, rather than engaging with clubs that have enquired as to his availability. If this is what has happened, then he would be foolish not to hear what they have to say. As I posted in the forum, this is no different than how head hunting operates in any business' recruitment. Wait for the facts before making accusations. If it becomes clear that it was a self-promoted, that is the time to be critical, but if it was reactive to enquiries from third parties, a lot of people need to be eating humble pie.

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 11:28 - May 26 Interesting to see how people feel when next season he is still with us. He has not said he is going or planning tog o or even wants to go, actions speak louder than words. I will save my emotions until I know what I am being emotional about.
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planetblue_2011 added 11:30 - May 26 Thing is he hasn’t done it in the premier league yet and it’s a massive gamble for the clubs interested in him. I just think have a season with us see where that takes him and go from there. It will give us time to way up our options as well. But this has been going on for too long now, we need news, staying or going. Just hope it hasn’t upset the Apple cart at the club.

4

ITFCSG added 11:30 - May 26 Any renegotiated contract should slap a minimum of 20 mil release clause. 4, 6 mil is a joke when even Chansiri can put a 10 mil + release on Rohl who is the closest in terms of age, experience and personality to McKenna.
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blues1 added 11:36 - May 26 Blueboyd. Are you for real? How has mckenna shown disrespect for our club? He has been linked to a move away to 3 clubs. Not 1 of those clubs have actually made an approach for him. Have merely approached his agents, i expect to gauge whether he would be interested. He didnt instigate these links. He didnt go to the board and say he wants to go. These clubs have apparently just shown an interest. Everyone is just speculating to the situation. I guess you've never left a job to go elsewhere btw. So, if indeed he does go, then all he's doing is what many do at some point in their life. Just bcse hes a football manager doesn't make a difference. To him, it's a job. A job I'm certain he is very grateful to have been given. But he owes us nothing. He's given us the 2 beat years we could have asked for, and that we've had for many a year. If indeed he is offered the utd job, how could anyone begrudge him going? Its the team he supports, and would be an opportunity that may never come his way again.

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Blueballs83 added 11:36 - May 26 I think he’ll stay with Ipswich, but go to United in a season or 2 after he has experienced a season (or hopefully 2) in the premier league with us. I think he’ll meet with Utd officials and a future plan will be made for him to be their manager. This will stop him going to Brighton or Chelsea now! It will also give Ten Hag and an extra season who after yesterday he is probably due and will save United a lot in sacking compensation

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dirtydingusmagee added 11:37 - May 26 some people are showing their true colours already , it dosnt bode well if McKenna does stay , reckon these ''fans'' will be on his back as soon as we lose a game , he has gone from hero to zero and has not said anything yet . I know its frustrating, and worrying ,but to be slating McKenna without any evidence of him wanting to go is at best disrespectful . I'll be really disappointed if he does go, wold have wanted him to at least give it a year to keep things going now , he has built ITFC up to a high standard . But if he leaves i wouldnt slag him off , its his choice he will ''live'' or ''die'' by it .

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Skip73 added 11:38 - May 26 FFS. Another week of this BS! Sky must be loving it.
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Karlosfandangal added 11:41 - May 26 It’s could be now or never for KmK. If he can’t keep Town in the Prem next season then the top teams may not be so interested as not ready for the Prem (possibly) Lost some respect for KmK because of the job not finished yet let’s go and feels like don’t care you were just a stepping stone for me to move on. However we don’t really know the full story He may be staying and just waiting for the new contract and his representatives are just looking incase the contract is not what they expect for him. It can’t be about money as Town will match just about any of the prem teams…or it maybe a chance of a lifetime to manage a massive club…..so Brighton are out as they are on the same sort of size as Town except established in the Prem. Expect it will get explained the thinking

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victorysquad added 11:51 - May 26 Let ETH have one more season and let McKenna have a season with us. Loan us some Man Utd youngsters. Brighton have peaked, the fans do not want him, the are in relegation form, they sell all their best players, the CEO or owner there may not turn out to be easy to work with once things get going, family may not settle, he has to get better than sixth there to be successful but will not have the players to do it, too risky. Kompany a case in point that this season is a free hit The whole of suffolk is behind you Kieron, it is a no brainer to stay We know you are ambitious, well guess what, so are we.

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