Brighton line up Ipswich Town figure after Roberto De Zerbi’s exit announced
The Italian was named as Graham Potter’s successor back in September 2022, and he has gone on to do outstanding work for the Seagulls, with the club reaching Europe under his guidance, whilst they earned plenty of plaudits for their attacking style of play.
This season has been more difficult for Brighton, with injuries meaning their squad was stretched, but they are set to secure a top ten finish, and they also reached the knockout stages of the Europa League.
However, there has been speculation surrounding De Zerbi’s future for weeks, and it was confirmed by the club that the 44-year-old is departing after tomorrow’s game.
Brighton have been impressed with Kieran McKenna
Now, attention will turn to a replacement for Brighton, and it’s sure to be a job that appeals to many out there, as they have progressed as a club considerably in the past few years.
One man who is thought to have impressed the Brighton hierarchy is Kieran McKenna, following his brilliant work with Ipswich. And, journalist Ed Aarons has revealed that that he is likely to be the man Tony Bloom wants to come in.
The former Man Utd coach took the Tractor Boys to the Championship in his first full season in management, and Ipswich memorably made it back-to-back promotions this season.
With the Suffolk side in the Premier League, it remains to be seen whether McKenna would be keen to make the switch, although Ipswich obviously have much more chance of keeping the Northern Irishman following their promotion.
Of course, McKenna is rightly viewed as a hero at Portman Road, and he has already made himself a legend in the past two years.
But, he will also recognise that Ipswich are the club that gave him his big break in management, and he has had total support from the owners since his arrival.
Furthermore, he has built a special connection with the supporters, so it’s going to take a really tempting offer to prise him away from the club.
If any interest in McKenna does pick up pace, the Tractor Boys are going to want this sorted quickly, and it goes without saying that they hope the boss will commit to at least one more year at Portman Road.
That’s because there’s a lot of work that needs doing this summer, as the squad does need strengthening, and they will be looking at potential targets already that could help the team as they try to survive in the Premier League.
