Solskjaer and O'Neil emerge as leading candidates for Ipswich Town manager role

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in contention to return to Premier League management as Ipswich Town search for a successor to Kieran McKenna, who resigned from Portman Road last week. According to the BBC, Solskjaer and Gary O’Neil are among the candidates being considered by the newly promoted club.

McKenna’s departure came just weeks after he secured Ipswich’s third promotion in five years, but the 40-year-old said he was stepping away to rest and spend more time with his family. “I feel this is the right time for me to step aside,” he said. “I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club.”

Solskjaer has been without a job since he was sacked by Besiktas in August 2024. The Norwegian had been linked with a return to Manchester United following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal, but the club appointed Michael Carrick instead. His previous Premier League stint ended with his sacking by United in November 2021, and before that he oversaw Cardiff City’s relegation to the Championship in 2019. He is understood to be keen to return to management.

O’Neil, currently in charge at Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, is also admired by those at Portman Road. He built a reputation for keeping Premier League sides afloat under pressure, steering Bournemouth to top-flight survival in 2023 before taking charge at Wolves — arriving on the eve of the season — and guiding them to a 14th-place finish.

McKenna had worked under Solskjaer at Manchester United as part of his coaching staff before making his own mark in management, which adds an intriguing dimension to the possibility of his former boss inheriting the job he has vacated. Ipswich will need their new appointment in place quickly as they prepare for the challenge of consolidating in the Premier League.