Kieran McKenna is preparing to return to management and is open to discussions with Manchester United and Tottenham, Football FanCast understands.

The Northern Irishman has been out of work since stepping down at Ipswich Town earlier this year, but sources close to the situation believe he's simply biding his time for the right opportunity to present itself - and with both Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi under increasing scrutiny, that chance may not be far away.

De Zerbi's position has come under the microscope following Sunday's defeat against Aston Villa, with Spurs slipping to a 3-2 defeat after promising so much in a strong first-half display.

The Italian was scathing in his own assessment of his side's defensive fragility: "I've never seen a team like us. So fragile, so inconsistent. You can't be very good for the first 30-40 minutes and then concede like this."

It was a similar story in west London, where Manchester United's draw against Fulham prompted a furious response from Gary Neville.

"I've never seen a Man Utd team walk out of possession as much as that," the former United defender said as the Red Devils go into the international break with just five points from five matches.

"Michael has just said there was nothing wrong with the team's energy. Both teams were the same. I called them mannequins. I've never seen a United team walk around as much as that. No alertness, no aliveness. No 'on your toes'.

"I'm always very careful to say that, but in those first 15 minutes of that second half, Man Utd and generally for the first 60 minutes, were a genuine disgrace. Nowhere near good enough without the ball."

Carrick and De Zerbi both under mounting pressure

Both De Zerbi and Carrick are believed to be safe for now, with neither club expected to make a change during the international break. But the pressure is mounting on both fronts, and with the two sides set to face one another when club football resumes in October, a defeat for either could prove decisive.

McKenna has been linked with both clubs at various points in recent years, and FFC sources understand the 40 year-old is content to wait it out for the right project rather than rush into a lesser role, having been sounded out by Celtic to possibly replace Martin O'Neill.

There is, however, a compensation fee to consider - Ipswich are due £8m if he joins a new club before July 2027, but that figure can be negotiated down the closer we get towards that deadine, and FFC understand that McKenna would be willing to waive his own share to smooth the path to join a big six club.

It would be a fitting next chapter for a manager who secured three promotions during his time at Portman Road, where his standing at the club was summed up by Ipswich captain Dara O'Shea earlier this year.

"It's legendary status," the defender said. "To do that at any level is unbelievable. To do it at the level he's done, it's hard. You can't really put that into words. I think everybody at this club knows how much he means to Ipswich. He is Ipswich. He's what made this club successful in recent years and we're so grateful to have him. I'm so, so grateful to work under him."

With McKenna waiting in the wings and both De Zerbi and his United counterpart under pressure heading into what many are already coining 'El Sackico', it may simply come down to which club blinks first.