Erik ten Hag is back! Ex-Man Utd boss succeeds Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen

The 55-year-old Dutchman was relieved of his duties at Old Trafford in October 2024. He had spent 128 games in charge of the Red Devils, helping to deliver FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs before being ushered through the exits.

Having spent several months mulling over his options, Ten Hag is ready to step back into the dugout. He boasts title triumphs on his CV from a productive spell at Ajax and will be hoping to replicate that success after taking on a new challenge in the Bundesliga.

He has big boots to fill as Alonso landed a domestic crown during his tenure in Leverkusen, with his ‘Invincibles’ completing the 2023-24 campaign unbeaten. The Spaniard is now heading back to his homeland to take charge at La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Leverkusen are delighted to have landed Ten Hag, on a contract through to 2027, with sporting director Simon Rolfes telling the club’s official website: “With Erik ten Hag, we are relying on an experienced coach with impressive sporting success. His six titles with Ajax Amsterdam were exceptional.

“With three league titles and two cup wins, he and Ajax dominated Dutch football from 2018 to 2022. And with his subsequent successes with Manchester United, under sometimes difficult conditions, Erik has also proven his class as a coach.

“Our ideas about football coincide. With technically demanding and dominant football, we want to continue to operate in the Werkself style and strive for the highest goals in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup, and Champions League.”

Ten Hag found the going tough during his time in Manchester, but is embracing a fresh start in Germany. He said of taking the reins in Leverkusen and preparing for battle against the likes of Harry Kane and Bayern Munich: “Bayer 04 is one of the best clubs in Germany and also belongs to the extended European elite. The club offers excellent conditions, and the discussions with the management have impressed me greatly.

“I came to Leverkusen to confirm the ambitions that have grown in recent years. It's an exciting task to build something together in this phase of change and to develop an ambitious team.”

Ten Hag will have a busy summer transfer window to contend with after arriving in Leverkusen, with several big names seemingly heading for the exits. He is likely going to have to find replacements for Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah.