Ten Hag signed a two-year contract at Bayer Leverkusen, where he'll be the successor to the wildly popular Xabi Alonso. The former midfield maestro, who joined Real Madrid, left the club after winning a historic domestic double in the 2023/24 season, whilst also setting a European record by going 51 games unbeaten.
The 56-year-old Dutchman had been without a job since November 2024, when he was fired at Manchester United after a poor start to the season. During his two-year stint in Manchester, Ten Hag won the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
Before his time in England, Ten Hag was hugely successful at Dutch giants Ajax, winning three Eredivisie titles, two domestic cups, and one Johan Cruyff Shield in his four-and-a-half years in charge. He also famously reached the semi-finals of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League with the Amsterdam side, who missed out on that season's final after Lucas Moura's 96th-minute winner.
Exceptional
"With Erik ten Hag, we rely on an experienced coach with an impressive sporting track record," said Bayer Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes on the club website. "His six titles with Ajax Amsterdam were exceptional. With three championships and two cup wins, he and Ajax dominated Dutch football unchallenged from 2018 to 2022.
"And Erik also proved his class as a coach with his subsequent successes with Manchester United under sometimes difficult conditions."
After Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich's second team, FC Utrecht, Ajax, and Manchester United, the Leverkusen job will be his sixth in the past 13 years.
Ajax approached Ten Hag after Italian manager Francesco Farioli abruptly left the club after one season. Technical director Alex Kroes confirmed to ESPN that he'd been in contact with Ten Hag, but the latter told the club he preferred a new adventure elsewhere.
"Bayer 04 is one of the best clubs in Germany and is also part of the European elite. The club offers excellent conditions, and I was very impressed by the talks I had with the people in charge," said Ten Hag
"I came to Leverkusen to confirm the ambitions that have grown over the past few years. It is an exciting task to build something together in this phase of upheaval and to develop an ambitious team."
Rebuild
Ten Hag takes over a Bayer Leverkusen side likely in need of a partial rebuild. Star man Florian Wirtz will reportedly soon join English champions Liverpool and will likely be joined by Ten Hag's fellow countryman Jeremie Frimpong. Captain Jonathan Tah will also leave the club upon the expiry of his contract this summer.
