Ex-Man United Coach Erik ten Hag Returns to Management, Lands Appointment With Bundesliga Giants

• Former Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag has been named Bayer Leverkusen head coach, signing until 2027
• The Dutchman returns to management after leaving Manchester United in October 2024
• Ten Hag replaces Spanish manager Xabi Alonso, who has gone to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has returned to management, landing a major role as the new head coach of Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.

The Dutch manager replaces Xabi Alonso, who departed the Bundesliga club to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

According to Sky Sports, Ten Hag has signed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen that will keep him at the BayArena until June 2027.

This marks Ten Hag’s first appointment since being sacked by Manchester United in October 2024, following a poor start to the season.

Despite his struggles at Old Trafford, where he was relieved of duties after four losses in nine Premier League games, the Dutch coach left with FA Cup and Carabao Cup trophies under his belt.

Ten Hag seeks fresh start in Germany

Bayer Leverkusen, who finished second behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and reached the DFB Cup semi-finals, are looking to build on the foundation laid by Alonso.

Following Ten Hag’s appointment, the German club's sporting director, Simon Rolfes, expressed confidence in the ex-Man United manager’s experience and vision, BBC reports.

“With Erik ten Hag, we are relying on an experienced coach with impressive sporting success… Our ideas about football coincide, and we want to continue our dominant style across all competitions.”

Ten Hag brings with him an impressive CV, particularly from his time at Ajax, where he won three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups between 2018 and 2022, while also guiding the Dutch team to a memorable Champions League semi-final run in 2019.

Ten Hag speaks after appointment

Ten Hag has expressed excitement about his return to coaching, especially in a league where he will face world-class opposition like Harry Kane and Bayern Munich, GOAL reports.

“Bayer 04 is one of the best clubs in Germany and belongs to the extended European elite. The ambition of the club and the discussions I had impressed me greatly. It’s the right place to build something meaningful.”

With a busy summer expected, the 55-year-old manager must now address potential departures from the squad, including stars like Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Jonathan Tah, who have agreed deals to join Liverpool and Bayern Munich, respectively.

What does the future hold for Ten Hag?

For Ten Hag, this is not just a new job, the Bayer Leverkusen job is a chance to rebuild his reputation after a turbulent spell in England with Manchester United.

With Champions League football set for next season and a strong squad at his disposal, the Dutch coach will be expected to keep Leverkusen in contention for domestic and European glory in the seasons ahead.

Ten Hag eyes managerial comeback

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Erik ten Hag is still one of the world's most-wanted managers despite his struggles at Manchester United.

The Dutchman was fired from his role at Old Trafford after a terrible start to the 2024/25 campaign that crumbled any chance of the Red Devils clinching the Premier League title this season.

Ten Hag, who was fired by the bosses at Manchester United, was replaced by young Portuguese manager Reuben Amorim after leading the Red Devils to 14th place on the league table.

Source: Legit.ng