Former Man United manager Erik ten Hag among candidates to replace Xabi Alonso at Bayer - The Athletic
Erik ten Hag is reportedly a strong contender for the head coach position at Bayer Leverkusen, following Xabi Alonso's decision to leave the club at the end of the season, according to The Athletic.
The former Manchester United manager, who has been out of a job since his dismissal by United in October 2024, is also open to a potential return to the Premier League.
Leverkusen are in the process of finding a successor for Alonso, and Ten Hag, who previously worked in Germany as Bayern Munich II's manager from 2013 to 2015, is on the club's shortlist. The Dutch coach is said to favour a move to the Bundesliga or a return to England.
While Leverkusen have yet to finalize their decision, there are also reports that Cesc Fabregas, head coach of Serie A club Como, remains a candidate for the role, though it is expected that he will stay at Como for the 2025-26 season.
Ten Hag's time at Manchester United was marked by both highs and lows. In his first season, he guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League and secured the Carabao Cup, ending a six-year trophy drought.
However, his second season was more challenging, with United finishing eighth in the league, their lowest finish since 1990, and failing to progress past the Champions League group stage. Despite these struggles, Ten Hag managed to lift the FA Cup by defeating Manchester City in the final.
