Manchester United are seriously considering a manager who plays "sublime football" to replace Erik ten Hag as manager this summer, according to a new update regarding the situation at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag under pressure at Man Utd
It forever feels like one step in the right direction and then two back for the Red Devils under the Dutchman, with the performance in last Saturday's 1-1 draw away to Brentford in the Premier League simply not good enough.
United were so fortunate not to lose in west London, facing 31 shots in total, despite coming so close to earning a hugely undeserved win in the end. The display was baffling off the back of such a memorable victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, summing up their unpredictable nature.
Ten Hag continues to flatter to deceive as manager, and with each passing match, the more it looks as though Champions League qualification is going to be out of their reach this season. The Red Devils are now 11 points adrift of fourth-place Aston Villa, albeit with a game in hand, and eight behind Tottenham, who have played the same number of matches.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come in and made his presence felt immediately, looking to hire sporting director Dan Ashworth from Newcastle United, for example, and there is every chance that he is assessing potential replacements for Ten Hag this summer, unless his side have a strong end to the campaign.
Man Utd want manager who plays "sublime football"
According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Manchester United have "concrete" interest in making Kieran McKenna their next manager, replacing Ten Hag at the end of the season.
The report states that "Red Devils chiefs have been hugely impressed with his transformation" of Ipswich Town, not only gaining promotion from League One last season, but now inspiring them to the top of the Championship heading into the business end of the season.
Ratcliffe and INEOS are "putting in place a model in which the head coach concentrates solely on the first team", and want an individual in place who is happy with that arrangement.
McKenna is a very interesting option for United, and would steer a long way clear of the approach they have often taken since Sir Alex Ferguson left, in terms of bringing in experienced big decorated names such as Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal.
Ipswich Town
125
2.03
Man Utd Under-18s
50
1.98
Tottenham Under-18s
4
2.25
At just 37 years of age, McKenna is a young boss with fresh ideas, often preferring a 4-2-3-1 formation and liking to press from the front, also playing a possession-based game. His performance as Ipswich manager was lauded by former Barnsley manager Danny Willson earlier in the season.
"Unbeaten in September, Kieran’s team are setting a terrific pace along with Leicester forging an eight-point gap to third place at this very early stage of the season, playing some sublime football with a steely determination."
Perhaps the most notable thing with regard to United potentially bringing in McKenna as their new manager is the fact that he shone brightly as United's Under-18s manager and then assistant manager to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the fairly recent past, meaning he knows the club well and should understand the pressure and expectations involved.
Man Utd have now “agreed” terms with off-field target
He wants to join the Ratcliffe era.
ByCharlie SmithApr 2, 2024
Granted, his age and lack of experience would mean hiring him would be a risk – the size of the job could overawe him at this stage in his career – but it would be a typically bold and fresh move by Ratcliffe.