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The 38-year-old joined as U18 manager in 2016 before serving as Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's right-hand man with a significant role in overseeing training sessions.

He left for Portman Road after the latter's sacking, inheriting an Ipswich side mid-table in League One. Remarkably, 29 months later, the club are preparing for their first top-flight campaign since 2002.

Ten Hag faces an uncertain future at United following a disastrous second season in charge, which looks set to end with a record-low eighth-place Premier League finish.

INEOS' early structural shake-up has intensified an expectancy that the Dutchman will receive his marching orders after the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Watch all the Premier League and Champions League drama unfold on TNT Sports

The Northern Irishman is reportedly highly regarded among Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his confidants, now in charge of football operations at Old Trafford.

He also has an admirer in Sir Alex, one of the greatest football coaches to have ever lived and arguably the United legend.

A month after leaving the club for Ipswich, McKenna revealed his close relationship with the iconic Scotsman.

"I haven't spoken to Sir Alex since I left, but he was absolutely fantastic to me in my time there - very supportive of me from the moment I arrived," McKenna explained in January 2022.

"Obviously everyone thinks so highly of him around the club and throughout football, and I know he's on the end of a phone if I ever need him, and that's a great support to have.

"Even as a youth team coach, we would watch games, chat sometimes about players and performances and it was a privilege to work with such an icon and a role model."

Whether the pair have been in contact since remains to be seen, but there isn't a better living endorsement for the United job than from Sir Alex.