Former Manchester United assistant and Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna
(Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Kieran McKenna drops Manchester United hint amid Erik ten Hag pressure and Ipswich promotion push

Former Man United assistant manager Kieran McKenna is on the verge of masterminding an astonishing back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town

by · Manchester Evening News

Former Manchester United assistant manager Kieran McKenna insists he has full focus on Ipswich Town despite links with a return to Old Trafford amid pressure on Erik ten Hag.

McKenna was promoted to the role of assistant manager at the Theatre of Dreams during Jose Mourinho's tenure at the club. He remained in this role when the Portuguese head coach was replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but would leave in 2021 after the Norwegian was sacked and replaced on an interim basis by Ralf Rangnick.

The 37-year-old was only out of work for four days as he moved to Portman Road with the task of bringing the club back to the Championship. McKenna has since exceeded expectations with the Tractor Boys who are on the verge of promotion to the Premier League.

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After Leicester City's defeat on Friday, McKenna knows his side will move top of the Championship on Saturday if they can beat his former United colleague Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough. Ahead of the game, the Ipswich boss was asked by The Sun whether he would consider a new challenge even if his club are promoted this season.

He replied: "It was a big commitment to come to Suffolk. I came because it was a club with a lot of potential and I’m enjoying developing it."

Talk of McKenna's future comes as Ten Hag's stint at Old Trafford is under threat. MEN Sport understands Sir Jim Ratcliffe is not fully convinced by the Dutchman and with qualification for the Champions League looking unlikely, the pressure is mounting on the manager's shoulders.

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