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Portman Road needs a new manager.
The search is underway.
And one of the names rising to the top of the list carries a connection to Anfield that many supporters may not immediately recall.
Kieran McKenna’s departure from Ipswich Town last week brought an abrupt end to one of the most remarkable managerial stories in recent English football history.
The 40-year-old took charge of the Tractor Boys in 2021 and proceeded to deliver three promotions in four seasons, two of which took the club back into the top flight.
He stepped down voluntarily, despite having just guided Ipswich to second place in the Championship and a return to the Premier League.
McKenna cited a desire to take a break from the game and spend more time with his family.
His departure was met with widespread respect, even if the timing surprised many inside the club.
The search for his successor is now well underway, with Ipswich’s hierarchy moving carefully given the scale of the task McKenna leaves behind.
According to BBC Sport, former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is among those being considered seriously.
Solskjaer, who led United to second in the Premier League in the 2020-21 season, has been eager for a return to management since leaving Besiktas last summer.
He was overlooked for the Old Trafford role that eventually went to Michael Carrick, and Ipswich represent a meaningful opportunity to rebuild his reputation in English football.
McKenna himself worked under Solskjaer at Manchester United, adding a layer of familiarity to the situation.
But there is another candidate in contention.
One with a different kind of experience, a different kind of story, and a Liverpool connection that adds genuine intrigue to his candidacy.
Before becoming a manager, Gary O’Neil spent six months at Liverpool in 2020 and 2021, serving as assistant manager for the club’s Under-23 squad under Barry Lewtas.
Working within Jurgen Klopp’s training environment at the Liverpool academy gave him exposure to world class methods and tactical thinking at the highest level.
He described the experience as one of the most formative of his career, even if the pull of senior first-team football led him to leave for AFC Bournemouth in February 2021 as a first-team coach under Jonathan Woodgate.
His subsequent rise through management has been rapid and at times remarkable.
He stabilised Bournemouth after a historic 9-0 loss to Liverpool in August 2022, earned the permanent manager role and kept them up against the odds.
He then took Wolverhampton Wanderers to 14th place and an FA Cup quarter-final before a difficult run of results ended his tenure in December 2024.
Most recently he took charge of RC Strasbourg in Ligue 1 in January 2026, where he has averaged 1.67 points per match and shown he can operate outside of his comfort zone.
According to BBC Sport, Ipswich have long admired O’Neil.
Chief executive Mark Ashton worked alongside him at Bristol City during O’Neil’s playing days, giving the relationship genuine depth.
The French club had hoped to keep him, but the pull of the Premier League and a project at Ipswich is proving difficult to resist.
Two strong candidates.
One job.
Portman Road is watching closely.