Dutch Manager Erik Ten Hag is always remembered in good light in Amsterdam, having had a successful 5-year spell at Ajax. Within that time, he won three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups, alongside leading the club to the cusp of a Champions League final following an impressive run in the 2018/ 2019 season.
In 2022, he then left for Manchester United in the Premier League and won the League Cup and the FA Cup in two years (ending the club’s 5-year trophy drought). However, as the manager’s odds at 1xbet casino proved, the latter only delayed his departure from the club, getting sacked in October last year following a dismal run in the Premier League.
Manchester United have fared even worse after Ten Hag left, with the club now sitting in 16th place. This has improved Ten Hag’s image as it clearly shows that the problems at Old Trafford are much bigger than the manager. And considering his excellent work at Ajax and the two cup wins in Manchester, he isn’t short of suitors.
Amid links to come back to Ajax when the team wasn’t doing well, Ten Hag stated that he wouldn’t join a new club mid-season, preferring to wait till the Summer and spend more time with his family. The summer window is here though and Ajax has enjoyed stability under Francesco Farioli, so here’s a look at where he might end up next.
Bayern Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso recently announced that he will be departing from Bayern Leverkusen at the end of the season, and he is going on to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. The Spaniard has earned himself a lot of praise after leading the club to a domestic double last season, only losing a single game all season – the Europa League final.
Erik ten Hag is on Bayer Leverkusen’s shortlist to become their next head coach, but he is also open to a return to the Premier League. Leverkusen are yet to make a decision on their preferred candidate, although Cesc Fàbregas is expected to stay at Como.
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Among the top candidates to replace him are Erik Ten Hag and current Como Manager Cesc Fabregas. Ten Hag has already spent time in Germany as an assistant manager, working under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich. He is also an attractive option as he is a free agent, unlike Cesc Fabregas.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder has overseen a fantastic season at Como, currently sitting 10th in the first year of promotion to Serie A. He is seen as a perfect fit at Leverkusen, but he has a contract at Como that runs up to 2028. Buying it out would set back Leverkusen around € 12 million.
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig parted ways with former manager Marco Rose in March after a not-so-impressive campaign. They then appointed former head of the RedBull Soccer Development unit Zsolt Low, but the contract was only up to the summer.
Leipzig are now considering their options, and Erik Ten Hag has been linked with the role since December. He is seen by some as a perfect fit as he values structure, pressing and youth development, which are core factors of RB Leipzig. The club likes a modern style of football that encourages managers to push tactical boundaries, and they could have that with Ten Hag.
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While the manager had a whirlwind at Manchester United, everybody remembers the impressive Ajax project and impressive run to the 2019 Champions League semi-final, where his tactical prowess was on full display.
However, the Dutch tactician has previously expressed a desire to work with a leaner structure than was the case with Manchester United. He also likes to have control over recruitment, something he might not enjoy at RB Leipzig.
The club is part of the larger RedBull structure, and it operates on a system based on developing players and often selling them at a profit. This might not suit Ten Hag, but there’s always a trade-off in football. It will be interesting to see how the story develops and the project the former Ajax manager chooses to work with.