Chelsea have been linked with a shock move if Mauricio Pochettino leaves

Chelsea will consider appointing Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna this summer if Mauricio Pochettino leaves Stamford Bridge, according to a new report.

McKenna, who was in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff at Manchester United, oversaw successive promotions to take Ipswich from League One to the Premier League, earning a reputation as one of the game’s brightest young managers.

Things haven’t gone much better for Pochettino at Chelsea, with his first season at the club marred by injuries, poor performances and poor relations with the club’s fans, but victory on the final day of the Premier League season is in evidence. The Blues leapfrogged Tottenham Hotspur into fifth place.

That will guarantee Chelsea a place in next season’s Europa League, which many would say is a successful campaign given the aforementioned conditions and high turnover rate.

However, Pochettino has cast doubt on his long-term future at Chelsea, with a meeting scheduled at the end of the season to assess his performance and background, too. The guard write that McKenna has been identified as a possible replacement in the event of a parting of ways.

Chelsea are said to be ‘surprised’ by McKenna’s progress at Portman Road, with contact already established with his representatives over a possible move. Brighton & Hove Albion have also been linked with McKenna following the unexpected departure of Roberto De Zerbi, who will step down as manager following Sunday’s clash with Manchester United.

Supporters remain divided over Pochettino, who signed a two-year contract when he took over last July with an option for another year.

Chelsea have been sitting in mid-table for most of the season – often following a good result with a poor defensive performance – but business has started in 2024, which has seen the club move around the table.

The Blues have collected 25 points from their last 36 games – which puts them third in the Premier League behind title-chasing Manchester City and Arsenal.

Cole Palmer’s form has also been a strange high point for the team. The 22-year-old was recently awarded the Premier League’s young player of the season, after a campaign that saw him score 22 goals and provide 10 assists in 33 games.

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