Kieran McKenna emerges as Manchester United option amid Michael Carrick pressure

 

Pressure is building on Michael Carrick at Manchester United after the club’s disappointing start to the season, with Kieran McKenna reportedly among the possible replacements should the club decide to make a change.

Manchester United have won only one Premier League match so far, while the players’ performances have drawn criticism for a perceived lack of intensity and effort. A run of poor results after the international break could increase the scrutiny on Carrick and force the club’s hierarchy to consider a change in the coaching staff.

McKenna is understood to be available after leaving Ipswich Town and taking time away from football. The 40-year-old has strong links with Manchester United, having held several positions at the club in the past.

His route also resembles Carrick’s journey at Old Trafford. Carrick worked on Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff before later serving under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Both subsequently left Manchester United to pursue managerial opportunities elsewhere before returning to senior management roles.

McKenna took charge of Ipswich Town and guided them from the Championship to the Premier League. Carrick, meanwhile, became the permanent manager of Middlesbrough.

McKenna left Ipswich before the start of the 2026-2027 season after deciding to step away from football for a period, although the length of his absence from management remains unclear.

According to Football Fan Cast, McKenna is now preparing to return to coaching and would be open to talks with Manchester United if the club made an approach.

However, bringing him back to Old Trafford would involve an additional cost. McKenna’s agreement with Ipswich states that the club would receive £7m if he joins another club before July 2027.

McKenna’s record compared with Carrick

The report argues that McKenna has achieved more than Carrick in management so far, although he has yet to face the exceptional pressure associated with leading Manchester United.

McKenna enjoyed a notable spell at Ipswich, securing promotion from the Championship to the Premier League in consecutive seasons. He then returned the club to the top flight again after Ipswich had been relegated.

Journalist Nick Ames described McKenna as a “world-class manager” in recognition of that success.

Whether McKenna could handle the demands of managing Manchester United remains unanswered. The same uncertainty surrounds Carrick, whose ability to cope with the scale and pressure of the role is also yet to be established.