KIERAN McKenna is no longer in contention for the Chelsea job.
The Blues board is in the process of finding a successor for Mauricio Pochettino, who left the club after just one season.
McKenna – who led Ipswich to Premier League promotion – was an early favorite for the role.
The Northern Irishman took Ipswich from League One to the Premier League to become a hot commodity.
Chelsea were looking for a younger candidate for the role and McKenna was considered the perfect candidate.
But according to Atléticothe former Manchester United manager is no longer considered by the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.
McKenna is believed to still be in the running to replace Erik ten Hag, who faces being sacked despite winning the FA Cup.
Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca, Brentford’s Thomas Frank and former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi are now in a three-horse race at Chelsea.
The search is being led by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, alongside owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.
Maresca, who worked alongside City manager Pep Guardiola, is coming off a title-winning season at Leicester.
THE RISE AND ASCENSION OF McKenna
Few managers have risen as dramatically as Kieran McKenna.
But few have been tipped for coaching success at such a young age.
London-born McKenna, now 38, retired as a player aged just 22 due to a chronic hip injury.
He started out for Northern Irish sides Enniskillen Town United and Ballinamallard United before joining Tottenham in 2002.
But when he was forced to resign seven years later, he failed to make a single senior appearance.
However, after graduating from Loughborough University, Spurs appointed him Head of Academy Performance Analysis.
It was then, in two years leading Manchester United Under-18s, that his reputation soared most quickly.
After winning the Premier League Northern Division title, McKenna was promoted to assistant to José Mourinho in 2018, remaining at the rear under Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ralf Rangnick.
Ipswich dove into it in 2021.
And after an impressive half-season in League One, he took charge of the Tractor Boys in their first full campaign – repeating the feat this season to restore the club’s long-lost top-flight status.
Now, one way or another, McKenna is ready for his biggest management challenge – whether it’s staying at Ipswich or moving to a top club.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
And the Blues board are admirers of his style of play, but it could cost £10m to pry him away from the Foxes.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi is said to have impressed Eghbali and cost £5m in compensation despite leaving Brighton in the summer.
Frank is an outsider for the role despite receiving plaudits for his work at Brentford, while Chelsea look to announce their new manager this week.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
