Eric Ten Hag (55) is returning to the pitch.
The Athletic reported on the 25th (Korean time) that "Eric Ten Hag has been appointed as the next head coach of Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The club has already reached a preliminary agreement with Ten Hag and is in the process of finalizing contract documents."
The Athletic exclusively reported that "Leverkusen has reached a preliminary agreement with Coach Ten Hag. The official appointment process is currently underway." Ten Hag had previously kept open the possibility of returning to the Premier League, but ultimately chose to return to the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen failed to challenge for the title last season, finishing without a trophy. In the league, they ranked second behind Bayern Munich and were also eliminated from the Champions League after losing to Bayern.
The news of Ten Hag's appointment at Leverkusen is not new. Earlier on the 2nd of this month, the German outlet Kicker reported that "Leverkusen has already appointed Eric Ten Hag as the next coach and negotiations have progressed significantly. Although the appointment of Coach Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid has not yet been officially announced, the club has completed preparations for his succession."
As in the case when the club announced the dismissal of head coach Gerardo Seoane and the appointment of Alonso in October 2022, the club acted proactively not only in transfers but also in 'coaching changes.'
Ten Hag gained fame after leading Ajax to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League in the 2018-2019 season. He defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the first leg away match but experienced a dramatic elimination after losing 2-3 at home in the second leg.
He then managed Manchester United from the summer of 2022 until October 2024 and also served as the head coach of Bayern Munich II from 2013 to 2015. Thus, he has experience in the German scene.
Despite this, Ten Hag's career is still highly regarded across Europe. The Athletic reported that "he led Ajax to the semifinals of the Champions League in the 2018-2019 season, defeating Real Madrid and Juventus, and achieved three titles in the Netherlands' Eredivisie. Later, with Manchester United, he won the EFL Cup in the 2022-2023 season and the FA Cup in the 2023-2024 season, breaking a six-year trophy drought."
Ten Hag is preparing to take another leap. Leverkusen, led by Alonso, won their first Bundesliga title in history last season, and while the departure of some key players is expected, it is a club with a solid squad. It remains to be seen whether Ten Hag can recreate the organization and tactical color he showcased at Ajax, and his Leverkusen project is gaining attention in the European football world.
텐 하흐는 다시 한 번 도약을 준비한다. 알론소가 이끌었던 레버쿠젠은 지난 시즌 역사상 첫 분데스리가 우승을 차지했고, 일부 핵심 자원의 이탈이 예상되지만, 탄탄한 전력을 보유한 구단이다. 텐 하흐가 과거 아약스에서 보여준 조직력과 전술적 색깔을 다시 구현할 수 있을지, 그의 레버쿠젠 프로젝트는 유럽 축구계의 또 다른 시선으로 주목받고 있다.
[OSEN]