Fulham would have to pay Ipswich Town an £8m release clause if they appoint Kieran McKenna as manager this season. The former Ipswich boss is again being linked with the vacant role at Craven Cottage as the Premier League strugglers consider a change.

McKenna stepped down from his role at Portman Road in the summer and has since taken a break from frontline management. He has been watching other teams and is set to begin a role as a UEFA technical observer this week, starting with the Shakhtar Donetsk vs AEK Athens match at Stamford Bridge.

Pressure at Fulham

Fulham turned to former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa in the summer, but pressure is mounting after a poor start. The Spaniard reportedly has two games to save his job against Coventry City and Hull City, fixtures that are critical in Fulham's upcoming fixtures list. The Cottagers' struggles were compounded by a 2-1 defeat at Portman Road on Saturday, where late goals from Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O’Shea secured a comeback win for Ipswich Town. Fulham's recent form shows no wins in their last five league games, a stark contrast to the 10th-placed Tractor Boys, who have won three of their first six to amass nine points.

McKenna's stance

While linked with a return to management at Fulham and previously with Tottenham Hotspur, McKenna has indicated he is in no hurry. "I’m certainly in no rush," McKenna told reporters. "I’m enjoying the time I’m having and hopefully an opportunity will come along that’s right."

He added, "I want to enjoy the time we have now, take this period to reflect and be in the best position I can for the next role." The Northern Irishman has previously spoken of his desire to find a club where he can build a connection and achieve something memorable, as he did during his successful spell with Ipswich, where his team's underlying stats were consistently among the division's best.

Other names, including former Brentford and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, have also been mentioned in connection with the Fulham job. Any approach for McKenna, however, would first require Fulham to meet the significant financial terms of his release clause with Ipswich Town, a substantial sum for a club already facing a tough battle for survival.

The original report is at TalkSPORT