Portugal Colonial - Ex-Man Utd coach Erik ten Hag takes over at Leverkusen

Ten Hag will replace Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso, who led Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24 and added the German Cup.

Leverkusen were unable to keep up the same pace this season, but they still finished Bundesliga runners-up to Bayern Munich and qualified for next season's Champions League.

Ten Hag has worked in German football before, spending two years in charge of Bayern Munich's reserve team from 2013.

The 55-year-old Dutchman won the FA Cup and League Cup in his two full seasons at United and led the club to third in the Premier League in 2022-23.

United launched a review last summer and interviewed other candidates after they finished eighth in the Premier League, only to decide to stick with Ten Hag.

But after a poor start to the season he was sacked on October 28 following a 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

Before United, he helped Ajax to win three Dutch league titles.

Ten Hag has signed a two-year contract.

"With Erik ten Hag we have brought in an experienced coach with impressive success on the pitch. His six trophies at Ajax were exceptional," Leverkusen's sporting managing director Simon Rolfes said in a statement.

"With three league titles and two domestic cup wins he and Ajax dominated Dutch football from 2018 to 2022."

"And Erik demonstrated his quality as a coach with the ensuing success at Manchester United under difficult circumstances at times," added Rolfes.

Real Madrid announced on Sunday that Alonso will replace Carlo Ancelotti as coach at the club where he starred as a player.

He will take over on June 1 in order to lead the team at the Club World Cup.

M.Gameiro--PC