Sources: Kieran McKenna in contention to be Crystal Palace manager
Crystal Palace are considering Kieran McKenna as a potential option to replace Pierre Sage, sources have told Football Insider.
The 40-year-old left Ipswich Town following their promotion to the Premier League during the summer, and is now believed to be eyeing his next job in top-flight management.
Sage, meanwhile, is coming under increasing pressure at Selhurst Park and there is a growing feeling he does not have long left to save his job if results do not improve.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, McKenna is highly regarded at Crystal Palace and his availability has placed them on alert.
The boss remains extremely highly regarded after his work with Ipswich, and has been heavily linked with a number of top jobs including the likes of Man United and Chelsea.
The Eagles have previously considered McKenna, who was one of the leading candidates before Oliver Glasner's appointment in 2024, and they could revisit that interest.
Could Crystal Palace make a move for Kieran McKenna?
Former Tottenham scout Bryan King told Football Insider on 21 October that Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is very keen on McKenna and could move to bring him in.
Following a 5-0 defeat to Brighton last weekend, the Eagles are being pushed to make a change, and despite improvements against Besiktas, Sage remains under pressure.
McKenna is now being tipped as one of the leading candidates for the manager's position at Crystal Palace, and they could make a move if they pull the trigger.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "It's obviously all going to be speculation until Palace do decide that they want to replace Pierre Sage.
"Kieran McKenna is free as well, having left Ipswich during the summer, and he is obviously obviously Premier League proven as well which is always a plus for Crystal Palace.
"He is obviously highly regarded after what he did with Ipswich and Palace are among his admirers, he is somebody they have looked at before.
"That Premier League experience is something I expect Palace will be looking for after going down a different route with Sage who was relatively unknown in English football.
"Palace are prepared to look at all of their options and see if they can find a suitable candidate if they decide to sack Pierre Sage."
Where is McKenna's most likely destination?
Crystal Palace are far from the only club interested in appointing McKenna, who has been linked with top jobs across England and Europe over the last couple of seasons.
The work he did with Ipswich has led to links with the jobs at Man United, Chelsea and Tottenham, but he remains out of work for now, with Palace the latest to show an interest.
However, former Man United coach Mick Brown told Football Insider on 1 October that McKenna is unliekly to land a job at one of the top Premier League clubs as things stand.
There are said to be concerns about his lack of top-level experience, having managed Ipswich in just one Premier League season, deterring elite clubs from making a move.
That will come as a boost to Crystal Palace, who are unlikely to have the same reservations, and could be set to step up their interest in appointing McKenna soon.