Widely regarded by many as the hottest prospect in the world of football management, Kieran McKenna is the current sports betting favourite to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
According to The Sun, the Ipswich Town manager is currently earning £1.2 million a year at Portman Road and he has rejected the chance to sign a new deal worth an incredible £5 million per season.
The 38-year-old was formerly the assistant manager at Old Trafford and he had an excellent rapport with the players and coaching staff, and a return to the Theatre of Dreams could be on the cards.
| Per year | €1,410,636 | £1,200,016 |
| Per month | €117,553 | £100,001 |
| Per week | €27,127 | £23,076 |
| Per day | €3,864 | £3,287 |
| Per hour | €161 | £136 |
| Per minute | €2 | £1 |
While McKenna has just two years of experience as a manager, he has been a huge success during his short stint in management and he was pivotal to Ipswich securing back-to-back promotions to return to the Premier League.
Did you know: McKenna was named the League Managers Association Manager of the Year, beating both Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Arsenal's Mikel Arteta to the coveted award.
Without further ado, it's time to take a closer look at Kieran McKenna's net worth, his playing career and his management journey so far...
How Much Is Kieran McKenna Worth?
It is almost impossible to find a reliable figure for the net worth of Kieran McKenna but one can safely assume that his wealth is going to rocket in the coming years.
Whether he takes the job at Manchester United or not, there will be plenty of endorsement deals and commercial activity and he looks destined to blossom into an elite Premier League manager.
One estimate online values his wealth at £1.5 million but it'd be foolish to place too much emphasis on that figure with a huge payrise on the horizon at Old Trafford.
Playing Career
Some managers enjoy plenty of success on the pitch before embarking on a career in the dugout but Kieran McKenna's journey to management didn't pan out that way. Quite the opposite, in fact.
He failed to register a single minute senior football, peaking during his younger years but he was unable to break into the first team despite spending seven years in the Tottenham Hotspur academy.
In 2009, he decided to call it a day on his playing career after suffering a serious hip injury. McKenna was just 22 years old at this point but he still had clear aspirations for a career in football.
How Did Kieran McKenna Become A Manager
While his playing career was over, McKenna was determined to enjoy a successful career in football and he studied for a sports science degree during his time as a youth coach.
He had spells at Tottenham, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest and the Vancouver Whitecaps but it was at Spurs where he shone - working as the club's Head of Academy Performance Analysis before he was awarded the role of under-18 manager.
However, he caught the attention of Jose Mourinho and the Portuguese brought him - along with Michael Carrick - to Old Trafford as his assistant managers back in the summer of 2018.
Mourinho left soon after but McKenna and Carrick - two of the most talented young managers in British football - were retained by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the former was hugely influential on the training ground, working with many of the players still in today's Manchester United squad.
Success At Ipswich
McKenna left Manchester United in December 2021 after an approach from Ipswich Town and he was an instant hit at Portman Road, helping the club to climb the table and putting the foundations in place for his first full season in charge.
Ipswich lost just four matches in the 2022/23 season, scoring 101 goals and conceding just 35 all season as the Tractor Boys finished second to secure automatic promotion to the Championship. And things were about to get even better...
McKenna led his team to back-to-back promotions, securing a place in the Premier League and once again finishing as the league's top goal scorers. The club exceeded all expectations and McKenna was the key to Ipswich's success.
Kieran McKenna Family
According to an interview published by The Guardian in May 2023, Kieran McKenna is married and he has two children.
He has spoken publicly in the past about his wife and his children, suggesting that he wishes for a life out of the limelight and his role as a father, a husband and a friend is really important to him.
"I don’t have any interest in fame or external validation. My family, my close friends, my coaching staff, those are the important things and that won’t change.
“When you come home from getting promoted against Exeter and your daughter wants donkey rides around the living room within two minutes, and then you’re up at 6am watching cartoons, it keeps you grounded. You know where your reality is."
Style Of Play And Tactics
McKenna is no one-trick pony with regards to his tactics and his teams often line up in various fluid formations, though Ipswich adopted a 4-2-3-1 for the majority of the 2023/24 Championship season.
Regardless of the exact shape, McKenna generally selects a midfield double pivot - with emphasis on short passing, dominating possession and pressing high up the pitch in a bid to win the ball back.
Many have compared McKenna's tactical style to that of Roberto De Zerbi and United fans will be hoping that he brings an attack-minded approach back to Old Trafford. It will be interesting to see how he gets on as Manchester United manager, should he be offered the position...
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
