Kieran McKenna approves Blues’ move with Ipswich and demands…

Kieran McKenna approves Blues’ move with Ipswich and demands £4 million.

The young head coach is interested in the Stamford Bridge vacancy.

Kieran McKenna has granted Chelsea permission to step up their approach, which may see the Ipswich boss succeed Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.

The Northern Irishman is said to be interested in the post and is pleased that the Blues have included him on their shortlist of contenders. Ipswich want McKenna to stay and will offer him a new contract, despite the fact that his current one expires in 2027.

Pochettino departed Chelsea by mutual consent on Tuesday, halfway through his two-year contract. The former Tottenham manager led Chelsea to a sixth-place finish, earning European football, but the Blues’ owners saw it as underperformance.

Chelsea has began its hunt for a sixth coach in two years, with McKenna emerging as a prominent prospect.

The former Manchester United assistant has guided Ipswich to consecutive promotions, moving the Tractor Boys from League One to the Premier League, and believes he is ready for the next stage of his career.

Ipswich are expected to want compensation in excess of £4 million, although this would not discourage Chelsea from pursuing a deal. Brighton have also highlighted McKenna as a top target to replace the departing Roberto De Zerbi.

McKenna earned the League Managers Association manager of the year award this week, highlighting his efforts in returning the team to the top flight for the first time in 22 years.

McKenna exemplifies the type of coach that Chelsea’s management desires to lead the club ahead. The team is determined to choose a young, bright head coach who can grow with the club and have a long career.

Ruben Amorim has been Chelsea’s long-term ambition, but the Sporting boss appears to be difficult to entice away from Lisbon this summer. Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness is also well-regarded, but he is anticipated to want to stay in his current position.

Thomas Frank of Brentford has many fans at Chelsea, but he is unlikely to make the move across west London. As a result, Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, along with Girona’s Michel, could emerge as serious contenders for the position.