Erik ten Hag has been confirmed as the new manager of Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
Ten Hag, who had been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United last October, replaces Xabi Alonso as boss after the Spanish coach left to join Real Madrid.
Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga this season but still boast much of the squad that helped them win the title in a historic unbeaten league campaign in 2023-24.
ESPN reported on Saturday that Ten Hag and his representatives held constructive talks with the Bundesliga side and now the agreement has been made official.
Ten Hag, 55, spent just over two seasons at Old Trafford before being dismissed amid a poor run of results just five months after winning the FA Cup. However, Man United have continued to struggle since the Dutch coach’s departure.
His replacement Ruben Amorim has managed just seven Premier League wins on the way to a 15th-placed finish, while the club also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
Before joining United, Ten Hag won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax and led the team to a Champions League semifinal in 2018-19. He has coached in Germany before, having managed Bayern Munich II from 2013 to 2015.
“With Erik ten Hag we have brought in an experienced coach with impressive success on the pitch. His six title wins at Ajax were exceptional,” Leverkusen’s sporting managing director Simon Rolfes said in a statement.
“With three league titles and two domestic cup wins he and Ajax dominated Dutch football from 2018 to 2022. And Erik demonstrated his quality as a coach with the ensuing success at Manchester United under difficult circumstances at times.”
In his new role, Ten Hag may have to do without Leverkusen’s star performer, Florian Wirtz, who has been strongly linked with a transfer away this summer. Sources have told ESPN that Liverpool are leading the race for the Germany international’s signature.
Ten Hag said Leverkusen are: “One of the best clubs in Germany and also among the top clubs in Europe. The club offers outstanding conditions, I’ve been very impressed with the discussions of the management.
“I’ve come to Leverkusen to continue with the ambition shown in recent years. It’s an attractive challenge to set up something together in this period of change and develop an ambitious team.”
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