Kieran McKenna could be reunited with a former Manchester United star after Ipswich Town have been tipped for a shock move, according to reports in France.
The 38-year-old advanced his coaching career at Old Trafford and served as Manchester United assistant manager in Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff.
Kieran McKenna retained his duties in the coaching staff after Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2018 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his return to Old Trafford.
Following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal in 2021, McKenna served under former United interim manager Ralf Rangnick before making his own exit from the club.
The ex-United assistant manager took his first steps into the world of management with Ipswich Town and has enjoyed success during his time at Portman Road.
McKenna and Ipswich linked with ex-Man Utd man
Kieran McKenna, who has been linked with Manchester United in the past, successfully led Ipswich Town back to the Premier League at the end of the 2023-24 Championship season.
However, Ipswich’s return to top-flight English football has been far from easy and McKenna’s men are 18th in the table so far for the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
McKenna, who led Ipswich to back-to-back league promotions, could now be reunited with a former Manchester United player at Portman Road.
According to Foot Mercato, Ipswich are now keeping an ‘eye’ on former United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.
Nemanja Matic was reunited with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford after United signed him from the Blues in 2017.
The 36-year-old Serbian midfielder would leave the Red Devils in 2022 and went on to play for Roma and Rennes before arriving at current side Lyon in 2024.
McKenna to face battle to sign Matic
Nemanja Matic made 189 appearances for the Red Devils and he scored four times and registered 10 assists for United before his contract came to an end in 2022.
The former Serbia international signed for Lyon in the 2024 January transfer window for a €2.6m (£2.2m) fee and McKenna’s Ipswich could face a battle to sign him.
Both Napoli and Fiorentina have been linked with Matic and the Lyon midfielder is currently under contract with the Ligue 1 club until 2026.
Foot Mercato added that any interested parties in Matic would need to be ‘very convincing’ in signing him, with the ex-United man happy at the French-based club.
The publication reports that the former Chelsea star has ‘no intention of leaving Lyon for the moment.’
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