Overview
- Ipswich confirmed Gary O’Neil as their new manager on Tuesday after Kieran McKenna’s surprise June exit, signing him to a three-year contract to lead the club back in the top flight.
- French media reported that Ipswich agreed roughly €5m to secure O’Neil from Strasbourg, a figure the club has not formally detailed in its announcement.
- O’Neil arrives with recent success at Strasbourg, where he led the side to an eighth-place Ligue 1 finish and a first-ever Europa Conference League semi-final, and he previously kept Bournemouth and Wolves in the Premier League.
- He will bring trusted assistants Tim Jenkins, Neil Critchley and Ed Ames from Strasbourg while several members of McKenna’s staff have left or are being reassigned as the club reshapes its backroom team.
- With preseason compressed and the transfer window open, Ipswich’s immediate tasks are to prepare for the August 22 season opener at Portman Road and to recruit and adjust the squad to prioritise survival and longer-term growth.