Manchester United have concrete interest in EFL Championship coach amid uncertainty over Erik ten Hag's future: Reports

Manchester United are reportedly huge admirers of Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna with speculation growing over Erik ten Hag's future.

Football Insider reports that the Red Devils have a concrete interest in the Northern Irish coach. He's excelled at Portman Road and has guided his side to the top of the EFL Championship.

McKenna knows Manchester United well as he spent three years at Old Trafford as an assistant manager. He worked with Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Ralf Rangnick before leaving in December 2021 to join Ipswich.

The Red Devils' former U18 head coach has overseen 74 wins in 125 games in charge of the Tractor Boys. They lead the Championship title race with six games left just a year after gaining promotion from League One last season.

McKenna's work at Ipswich has caught Manchester United's attention and he is viewed as a 'future Red Devils boss'. Their new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team want their manager to report to the club's sporting director and recruitment team.

This has cast doubts over Ten Hag's future at Old Trafford as the Dutchman likes to have a major input on recruitment. He's spent around £410 million since arriving in July 2022 and the likes of Antony (£85 million) have failed to impress.

Ten Hag has overseen a topsy-turvy sophomore campaign with his side looking increasingly likely to miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification. They sit sixth, eight points off fifth but are in the FA Cup semifinals against Coventry City (April 21).

Ratcliffe doesn't view Ten Hag as a long-term Manchester United manager. He has just over a year left on his contract but potential replacements are being touted.

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Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjer delves into Kieran McKenna's coaching methods

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Kieran McKenna (both middle) worked together for three years.

Solskjaer worked with McKenna during his three-year reign (including caretaker spell). The duo helped guide Manchester United to a second-placed finish in the 2020/21 season.

The Norwegian admitted that he was surprised by McKenna's attention to detail. He gave a glowing assessment of his coaching methods in an interview with The Athletic:

"Kieran was a surprise to me when I got to United. He's the most thorough and analytical, step-by-step, process-driven coach that I've worked with."

McKenna started his coaching career at Loughborough before taking over the likes of Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur youth sides. He joined the Red Devils in September 2016 as a scout but was fast-tracked into Mourinho's backroom staff.

The Northern Irishman describes his playing philosophy as being high press, high possession, and high control. He added (via Training Ground Guru):

"We have to develop that style of play and become a dominant, pro-active team who are ready to take the ball against any opposition and play in their half and control games."

This brand of football has worked wonders at Ipswich and they're on the brink of returning to the English top flight for the first time since 2002. They could face a fight to keep hold of their manager with Manchester United monitoring him.