EXCLUSIVE
Ex-Manchester United star believes Chelsea-linked Kieran McKenna is ready for top job
Ashley Young believes Kieran McKenna is more than capable of becoming manager of one of the Premier League's big hitters now.
The Ipswich Town boss is being heavily linked with a number of Premier League teams after masterminding his side's promotion to the top flight, including now-managerless Brighton and Chelsea.
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talkSPORT understands that Chelsea, who have just parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino, are admirers of McKenna but his move to Brighton is at an advanced stage.
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McKenna is no stranger to a managerial challenge like at one of the big clubs would pose.
He's already pulled off back-to-back promotions with Ipswich from League One to the Premier League after having an unproven record as a number one.
And when Young was asked by talkSPORT's Drive's Andy Goldstein whether his former coach can go up another level and take on a top job in the Premier League, he backed him all the way.
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Speaking live from the studio, Young said: "I think he's got everything to be a top, top manager.
"Like you say, I worked with him at Manchester United and saw how much passion he's got for football, the love he's got for football and just how he wants to be successful.
"So I, obviously having been linked with the jobs, Brighton, Manchester United, can he go to one of them now? I do think he can.
"He's been at United as a coach, he knows the club. Can he go to a Brighton? Yeah he can.
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"He's seen as one of those managers. At Ipswich they want to play football, they want to be expansive, they want to get on the front foot.
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"Obviously, he's younger than me, he's just one of those coaches that wants to be successful. He's got everything there to be a successful manager, no disrespect to Ipswich, at a bigger club."
McKenna served as Man United's Under-18s manager from 2016 to 2018.
He then made the step up to the first team ahead of the 2018/19 season with former Man United player Michael Carrick, serving under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and finally Ralf Rangnick.
Young played under him during that time, but left halfway through the season for Inter Milan in 2020.
In December 2021, McKenna was snapped up by Ipswich who had been floundering in League One. The rest is history.
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