Ipswich Town have appointed Gary O'Neil as their new manager on a three-year contract, ending the club's search for a successor to Kieran McKenna, who stepped down after guiding the Tractor Boys back to the Premier League.

McKenna's departure, attributed to a wish to spend more time with his family, opened the door for O'Neil, who had been among the leading candidates alongside former Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior. The 43-year-old arrives at Portman Road after leaving Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, where he had been in charge for just six months.

O'Neil had taken over at Strasbourg in January, replacing Rosenior — who departed for Stamford Bridge — and steered the club to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, narrowly missing out on European qualification.

It is a return to familiar territory in East Anglia for O'Neil in one sense: he made 51 appearances for Ipswich's fierce rivals Norwich between 2014 and 2016.

A demanding start awaits

O'Neil inherits a squad in need of significant reinforcement before the 2026/27 Premier League campaign begins on August 22, when Sunderland visit Portman Road for the season opener.

Ipswich's previous Premier League campaign, two seasons ago, served as a cautionary tale. Despite a flurry of signings following back-to-back promotions from League One and the Championship, the club managed just four wins all season and finished second from bottom.

O'Neil will need to strengthen the squad in both depth and quality, and do so quickly. His track record of hitting the ground running at Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers — on both occasions working with limited transfer resources — is likely to reassure supporters.

Yet the opening fixtures will demand an early statement of intent. Ipswich face a trip to Man Utd and a home game against Liverpool in their first three matches, results that will go a long way to determining whether O'Neil can win over fans still coming to terms with McKenna's exit.

Pragmatism and organisation will be the foundations O'Neil builds on — attributes that may not excite supporters immediately, but that Ipswich will rely on heavily if they are to survive a second stint in the top flight.

Ipswich's opening 2026/27 Premier League fixtures

August 22: Sunderland (home) — 3pm

August 29: Man Utd (away) — 3pm

September 5: Liverpool (home) — 3pm

September 12: Crystal Palace (away) — 3pm

September 19: Everton (away) — 3pm