The former manager of Manchester United, Eric Ten Hag, has been appointed as the new head coach of Bayer Leverkusen
The Bundesliga club announced on Monday that the Dutchman has signed a contract running until 2027, stepping in to replace Xabi Alonso, who recently took over at Real Madrid.
Ten Hag, 55, had been without a job since October following his dismissal from Manchester United. His appointment comes after Leverkusen’s failed attempt to secure their preferred candidate, Cesc Fabregas, from Italian side Como, where talks between both clubs broke down.
Having arrived at Old Trafford from Ajax in 2022, Ten Hag won the League Cup and the FA Cup during a turbulent spell in charge of the Red Devils.
Despite backing from United’s new hierarchy and a £200 million transfer budget, a disappointing eighth-place league finish ultimately cost him his position.
Since his exit, Ten Hag had been deliberate in choosing his next move, opting to stay out of management until the right opportunity emerged. His return to the touchline at Leverkusen marks a new chapter, although he is expected to miss out on coaching several key players who contributed to the club’s historic Bundesliga title win in 2024.
This will not be Ten Hag’s first stint in German football. He previously spent two seasons managing Bayern Munich’s reserve team from 2013 to 2015, working alongside then-first-team coach Pep Guardiola.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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