Reports suggest that the Erik ten Hag era at Manchester United will come to an end with Saturday's FA Cup final.
The Guardian reported on Friday afternoon that ten Hag will be sacked as United boss regardless of how the decider against local rivals Manchester City plays out.
Fresh reports have since suggested the decision was made weeks ago, ahead of the home Premier League game against Arsenal.
It has been a wretched campaign for United, who finished eighth in the Premier League, their worst finish since the 1989/90 season. Despite an impressive debut season in charge, it seems as though ten Hag will now be axed by the club as a result of their dire performances this season.
If these reports are to be believed, United will be eager to nail down ten Hag's successor early in the summer - and Fermanagh's Kieran McKenna is quickly emerging as a frontrunner.
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Kieran McKenna a strong contender for the Manchester United job
The job done by Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town over the past few years have put him on the radar of many of England's biggest club sides.
McKenna took over as manager of the Tractor Boys in late 2021 and has seen the side go from strength to strength over the past few years. Promotion from League One to the Championship in 2023 was followed by promotion to the Premier League this year.
The remarkable back-to-back ascensions have firmly established McKenna as one of the most exciting young managers working in England. He has previously been linked with the top job at Brighton, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
The Guardian's report alleging that Erik ten Hag will depart as Manchester United manager suggests that McKenna is now being seriously considered as a potential successor.
The Athletic also report that United are not only interested in McKenna but that they have held initial conversations with the Ipswich boss' representatives.
Michael Carrick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Kieran McKenna with Manchester United (Photo: Shutterstock)
McKenna previously spent five years as a coach at Old Trafford. The Northern Irishman initially worked as an academy coach, leading the U18 side to the Premier League Northern Division title.
He would then go on to work as an assistant both under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, playing a crucial role in the club's back-to-back top-four finishes in 2020 and 2021.
Only one man from the island of Ireland has ever managed Manchester United - Corkman Frank O'Farrell was the man tasked with replacing Matt Busby when the legendary manager's second spell in charge ended in 1971.
Among the other contenders for the United job are Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Frank, Graham Potter, and England manager Gareth Southgate.
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