Ipswich are closing in on the appointment of Gary O'Neil as their next head coach, with the club nearing an agreement to bring the 43-year-old to Portman Road following Kieran McKenna's departure earlier this month.
Compensation negotiations with O'Neil's current employer Strasbourg remain ongoing, but Ipswich are not anticipating any significant obstacles in finalising the deal. Tim Jenkins and Neil Critchley — both members of O'Neil's coaching staff in France — are also expected to follow him to Suffolk.
O'Neil's European success with Strasbourg
O'Neil arrived at Strasbourg in January and guided the French club to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season. He also led them to the Europa Conference League semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Rayo Vallecano — a landmark achievement, as it marked the first time in the club's history that Strasbourg had reached the last four of a European competition.
Despite Strasbourg's confidence in retaining him after his January arrival, O'Neil will now return to the Premier League for the first time since departing Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 2024.
Solskjaer was also in contention
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been among the candidates considered for the Ipswich role this week, but O'Neil has emerged as the frontrunner. BBC Sport first reported Ipswich's interest in O'Neil earlier this month, with the club's hierarchy having long admired the former Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss.
A personal connection also exists between O'Neil and the Ipswich setup — he played at Bristol City during the tenure of current Ipswich chief executive Mark Ashton, who held the same role at Ashton Gate at the time.
McKenna's remarkable legacy
O'Neil steps into the shoes of McKenna, who built an extraordinary record at Ipswich after taking charge in 2021. The 40-year-old delivered three promotions in four seasons, including two that lifted the club into the Premier League. Last season, he guided Ipswich to second place in the Championship, earning them top-flight status once more.
McKenna had been linked with the vacant manager's position at Fulham following Marco Silva's exit, but chose instead to walk away from the game to rest and spend time with his family.
