Disgraced Manchester United manager finds a new club - seven months after leaving Old Trafford
Erik ten Hag has been appointed as the new head coach of Bayer Leverkusen.
The former Manchester United manager has signed a contract running until June 2027, to take charge of the team following the departure of Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard announced earlier this month that he would be leaving the Bundesliga side at the end of the season - with a switch to Real Madrid seeming all but certain.
The futures of some of the club’s brightest stars also remain uncertain, with the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong being linked with moves to Liverpool this summer.
While at Man United, ten Hag won the League Cup in 2023 and FA Cup in 2024, but was sacked at the end of October last year after a disasterous run of form. He was replaced at Old Trafford by Ruben Amorim, who joined from Sporting CP.
The Red Devils’ fortunes have not turned around under the Portuguese manager’s guidance, however - finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
Alonso guided Leverkusen to an unbeaten league campaign in 2023/24, claiming a domestic double by also winning the German Cup. This campaign, the club has not reached the same dizzying heights, but still finished second in the league to qualify for Champions League football next season.
Ten Hag, who was managing Ajax before moving to Man United, does have prior experience in the Bundesliga, having previously worked as a coach at Bayern Munich.