Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna is no longer in the running to become Chelsea’s next manager. The 38-year-old was initially considered for the role following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure but is no longer a candidate.
Leading contenders for the Chelsea job now include former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, and Brentford’s Thomas Frank. McKenna, who recently guided Ipswich to promotion from the Championship, is also linked with a potential return to Manchester United if Erik ten Hag is sacked, and with manager-less Brighton.
Despite Ipswich’s desire to retain McKenna, it is unlikely he will extend his contract, which runs until 2027. Any club seeking to acquire him would need to pay a compensation fee of at least £4 million.
While De Zerbi and Maresca are reportedly interested in the Chelsea role, details about talks with Frank remain unclear. Chelsea aims to appoint a new manager within the next week, pending negotiations regarding compensation for the chosen candidate’s current club.