Leverkusen also held talks with Cesc Fabregas, but have decided to proceed with Ten Hag
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is set to join German side Bayer Leverkusen as their new head coach. This comes as the Bundesliga club, who finished second in the table this season, prepare for life after ex-coach Xabi Alonso.
An agreement in principle has already been struck between Leverkusen and Ten Hag, with only the final paperwork remaining, according to The Athletic. If confirmed, it would mark the Dutch manager’s return to coaching since he was sacked by United in October 2024.
Ten Hag was dismissed by United following a dismal start to the season that left them languishing in 14th place. Despite that turbulent end, he won back-to-back domestic trophies in his United tenure and secured a creditable third-place Premier League finish in his debut campaign.
Leverkusen reportedly believe that Ten Hag can reshape a squad that soared under Alonso but fell short in their title defence. The Spaniard took the up club from 17th place and delivered their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2023/24 with an astonishing unbeaten run, but things cooled in his second season. He has now quit the club to take over at Real Madrid after Carlo Ancelotti departed for the Brazil national team role.
Leverkusen believe Ten Hag can build on the attacking foundations Alonso established. Besides his remarkable achievement of winning a trophy in each of his two full seasons at United, Ten Hag’s curriculum vitae also contains records of his success at Ajax, where he won the Eredivisie and guided the team to a Champions League semi-final in 2019, along with some Bundesliga experience, having managed Bayern Munich at reserve level.
If all goes as planned, Ten Hag could be formally announced in the coming days. Leverkusen are understood to have also held talks with Cesc Fabregas, but he is staying put at Como.
