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.
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.
