Kieran McKenna is reportedly a strong contender to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United in the event that the Dutch manager is dismissed.

According to Sky Sports, McKenna’s representative met with the club’s new CEO and Technical Director at Old Trafford last week to discuss the possibility of him leading United next season.

McKenna’s track record at Ipswich Town has impressed the Manchester faithful. In just over two years as manager of the Portman Road club, McKenna guided them to promotion twice, leading them to the Premier League for the 2024/25 season.

Sky Sports also revealed that McKenna is among the shortlist of names considered to replace Ten Hag, which includes Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, and Thomas Frank.

Some reports suggest that regardless of the outcome of the FA Cup final, the Dutch tactician may not continue as the manager of the Red Devils next season.

Ahead of the final, the hashtag “TenHagIn” unexpectedly appeared on Twitter with nearly 13,000 related posts. However, some United fans express their desire for the club to give the current manager more time to rebuild the team.

“Trust the process,” one commenter said. “Mikel Arteta also needed nearly 2 years to prove himself at Arsenal, I believe in Ten Hag,” another fan shared.

What Manucians (MU fans) hope for now is for Ten Hag and the entire team to focus on the FA Cup final against Man City on May 25th. United’s 8th-place finish in the Premier League this season means they do not have a spot in European competition. Therefore, winning the FA Cup is their last chance to secure a place in the Europa League.