Bayer Leverkusen appoint Erik Ten Hag as new head coach
Bayer Leverkusen have named former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag as their new head coach, following the departure of Xabi Alonso.
Bayer Leverkusen announce Ten Hag as their new head coach. Photo by Jorg Schuler/Getty images
Alonso guided Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season without losing a game, but he has since agreed to take over as the new manager of Real Madrid.
The German club moved swiftly to appoint a replacement and identified Ten Hag as the ideal candidate for the role.
The 55-year-old has signed a contract through 2027 and brings previous experience in German football, having worked as a coach at Bayern Munich earlier in his career.
Previous experience
Ten Hag got his first managerial role in 2012 with Go Ahead Eagles, where he led the club to promotion for the first time in 17 years. After a single season, he joined Bayern Munich II, where he remained for two years before returning to the Netherlands to take charge of Eredivisie side Utrecht.
After a fairly successful stint with the Cupfighters, during which he secured Europa League football, the former centre-back was appointed manager of Dutch giants Ajax at the start of 2018.
Ten Hag celebrates Ajax's Eredivisie triumph. Photo by Soccrates Images/Getty images
In his first full season at the club, Ten Hag led an impressive Ajax team to the semi-finals of the 2018–19 Champions League for the first time since 1997, before they were eventually knocked out by Tottenham Hotspur. During this run, they beat the defending champions, Real Madrid, 4–1 at the Santiago Bernabéu.
While on the touchline at the Johan Cruyff Arena, he led Ajax to three league titles, two KNVB Cups, and one Johan Cruyff Shield. Ten Hag's exciting style of play and success with the biggest team in the Netherlands earned him a move to Manchester United in 2022.
Ten Hag celebrates Manchester United's FA Cup win in 2024. Photo by Michael Regan/Getty images
The Dutchman had the worst possible start to the 2022/23 season, as he saw his side lose their first two games, including a 4–0 thumping against Brentford. His first win as Red Devils boss came against Liverpool, marking United's first victory over their arch-rivals since 2018.
By January 2023, Ten Hag had recorded 20 wins as manager after a 3–0 win over Charlton, becoming the fastest Manchester United manager to reach 20 competitive wins — achieving the feat in just 27 games.
His first season in England saw him win the EFL Cup, while also leading Manchester United to a third-place finish and securing a spot in the Champions League.
The following season was a mixed bag of performances. His side won the FA Cup Final against Manchester City after falling short the year before, but they finished bottom of their Champions League group and eighth in the league, Manchester United's lowest top-flight finish since the 1989–90 season.
Despite the dip in performances, the board continued to show faith in him, triggering a one-year extension at the start of the 2024/25 season. However, with the Red Devils sitting 14th in the table with just eight points from seven games and their worst league start since 1989–90 — Ten Hag was dismissed from his role.