Kieran McKenna is on the verge of signing a new contract with Ipswich Town, despite interest from Brighton, Chelsea, and Manchester United. McKenna, who has led Ipswich to back-to-back promotions, decided to withdraw from Chelsea’s appointment process in order to commit to Ipswich. Ipswich officials, including majority shareholder Ed Schwartz, have been working on a new long-term deal for McKenna. Meanwhile, Chelsea is close to finalizing a deal for Enzo Maresca, the Leicester head coach, with a five-year contract set to be signed by the 44-year-old.
Maresca, who won the Championship with Leicester, emerged as the leading candidate to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea. The club is determined to back Maresca, who is prepared to leave Leicester after leading them back into the Premier League. Chelsea will need to agree on compensation with Leicester, who are looking for around £10 million to release their manager. Sources close to Maresca have mentioned that he could decide to stay with Leicester if he has any reservations about moving to west London. Manchester United, on the other hand, have been monitoring Roberto De Zerbi as a potential replacement for Erik Ten Hag, whose future at the club is uncertain.
Manchester United are expected to conduct an end-of-season review this week, with Ten Hag’s position perceived to be in jeopardy after finishing eighth in the Premier League. Despite their disappointing league form, there is a possibility that United might consider retaining Ten Hag for next season. The club’s ownership believes that the team’s structure has been more problematic than the manager and is looking to address this through new appointments. The season’s eighth-place finish was United’s lowest since 1990, but their FA Cup victory secured Europa League qualification.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are open to offers for all players except for a few key individuals, as they prepare for another squad rebuild under Ten Hag. The club has invested heavily in signings under Ten Hag’s leadership, but their poor league performance has prompted the need for significant changes. The club is still in the process of finalizing key appointments, including that of Berrada, who will officially start work in July. Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ten Hag’s future, there is a sense that the club’s problems extend beyond the manager and require a more comprehensive overhaul.
