Ipswich Town are on the verge of appointing Gary O’Neil as their new head coach, with a deal expected to be finalised imminently.
The 43-year-old is set to replace Kieran McKenna, who stepped down from his position at Portman Road earlier this month.
Compensation with O’Neil’s current club Strasbourg is still to be agreed, but the matter is not expected to prove a stumbling block for the Tractor Boys.
Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley, who both worked alongside O’Neil in France, are also expected to make the move to Suffolk as part of his backroom team.
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had also been under consideration for the vacant role during the past week.
O’Neil previously managed Bournemouth and Wolves before taking the Strasbourg job, and has long been admired by the Ipswich hierarchy.
His Strasbourg side finished eighth in Ligue 1 last season and reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals, where they lost to Rayo Vallecano in what was the club’s first-ever European semi-final appearance.
O’Neil’s connection to Ipswich chief executive Mark Ashton stretches back to his playing days at Bristol City, where Ashton held the same executive role at Ashton Gate.
Strasbourg had initially felt confident of retaining O’Neil following his January arrival at the club, but he will now return to the Premier League for the first time since leaving Wolves in December 2024.
The Ipswich vacancy arose after McKenna stepped down last week despite having led the club back to the top flight, finishing second in the Championship last season.
The 40-year-old took charge at Portman Road in 2021 and delivered three promotions in four seasons, two of which brought the club back into Premier League football.
McKenna had been linked with the Fulham managerial position following Marco Silva’s departure, but he ultimately chose to leave the game temporarily to 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.”
Ipswich will begin their Premier League campaign at home to Sunderland on 22 August, with O’Neil expected to be in the dugout for the season opener.
