Ipswich Town’s manager, Kieran McKenna, is no longer a candidate for the managerial position at Chelsea.
The 38-year-old had initially been considered as a potential replacement for Mauricio Pochettino, who departed the club by mutual agreement last week.
The primary contenders now include former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi, Enzo Maresca from Leicester, and Brentford’s Thomas Frank.
McKenna, formerly an assistant manager at Manchester United and who recently guided Ipswich to promotion from the Championship, is still being linked with a possible return to Old Trafford if FA Cup winners decide to part ways with Erik ten Hag. Additionally, he is also being considered by Brighton, who currently lack a manager.
Ipswich are keen to retain McKenna and plan to offer him a new contract; however, he is unlikely to extend his stay.
His current contract with Ipswich runs until 2027, and any interested club would need to pay at least £4 million in compensation.
While de Zerbi and Maresca are interested in a move to Stamford Bridge, there is less information available regarding discussions with Frank, who has also been associated with United.
Chelsea aim to finalise their new manager within the next week, although this will depend on negotiations concerning the compensation fee required by the manager’s current club.
