Manchester United Appoint Erik Ten Hag As New Manager
Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag as their new manager from the end of the current season until June 2025.
The Athletic revealed on April 12 that United had reached an agreement with Ten Hag.
The Dutchman’s release clause was not activated by United. Instead, it is understood United and Ajax reached an agreement separate to the clause in his contract with the Dutch side.
He has signed a three-year contract with the option for an additional year.
Ten Hag wants to bring assistant manager Mitchell van der Gaag with him from Ajax, The Athletic understands.
Ten Hag told Manchester United’s website: “It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead.
“I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.
“It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United.”
Ten Hag will replace Ralf Rangnick, who has been working at United in an interim capacity since former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked by the club in November.
Rangnick’s United have come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, following their Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid and a 1-0 Premier League defeat by struggling Everton.
United also suffered a “humiliating” — as Rangnick put it — 4-0 loss to rivals Liverpool on Tuesday.
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino had also been on Manchester United’s shortlist, but the club ultimately opted against appointing the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.
Ten Hag has been the head coach of Ajax since December 2017. He joined the Dutch club from Bayern Munich’s second team, where he worked alongside Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager.
Ten Hag, 52, guided Ajax to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019, where they dramatically lost to Pochettino’s Tottenham.
Ajax won the Eredivisie title in 2019 and 2021 and are currently top of the table by four points.
They lost 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Cup final on Sunday.
Ajax chief executive — and former Manchester United player — Edwin van der Sar added: “Four and a half years is a good amount of time, but we would have liked to have kept Erik at Ajax for longer. He is going to make the step to one of the biggest clubs in the world, in a fantastic league.
“We owe Erik a lot of thanks for what he has achieved with Ajax so far, but we are not done yet. At the end of the season, I will look back more extensively on his departure. For now, what matters is the final games of the season in which we all want to bring home the league title.”
A brief history of seven Ten Hag matches and what we can learn from them. The Athletic has watched back seven Ten Hag matches (four good, three not so good) to help you understand what Manchester United can expect
A brief history of seven Ten Hag matches and what we can learn from them
Carl Anka
1h ago
The education of Erik ten Hag. From questioning line-ups aged 12 to preferring players train in certain socks, Nick Miller reports from the Netherlands on Ten Hag’s rise
The education of Erik ten Hag
Nick Miller
Apr 13
Backstory
For Ten Hag to succeed at Manchester United, he must be allowed to shape the squad this summer
Laurie Whitwell
Apr 14
United are looking for a striker, two central midfielders and a right winger – signings which would be a show of support for the new manager
Michael Cox: The football Manchester United fans should expect from Erik ten Hag
Michael Cox
Apr 12
Ten Hag has gained a reputation for flowing football at Ajax but has shown a pragmatic side this season
The on-pitch problems Ten Hag will need to fix at Manchester United
Maram AlBaharna
From passive goalkeeping to ball progression issues across the team, Ten Hag has plenty to sort when it comes to the United squad