Erik ten Hag has been dismissed from his position as Manchester United manager. The Dutch coach was informed of his sacking on Monday morning, concluding his two-and-a-half-year tenure at Old Trafford, with his final match being a Premier League loss to West Ham United on Sunday.
This defeat left Manchester United in 14th place in the league, seven points away from the Champions League qualification spots, following only three wins in nine league matches and just four victories in 14 across all competitions.
The club is now evaluating its next steps, with former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was brought in during the offseason to assist Ten Hag, being asked to take over on an interim basis. The current management staff will remain in their roles for the time being.
When Was Erik Ten Hag Appointed As Manchester United Manager?
A statement released later on Monday confirmed Ten Hag’s departure, stating: “Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager.”
“Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. We appreciate Erik’s contributions during his time with us and wish him the best for the future.”
Ten Hag had been retained as manager over the summer following an end-of-season review after the club finished eighth in the Premier League, marking their lowest position since 1990, despite securing an FA Cup victory against Manchester City.
The club exercised a one-year extension option on his contract in early July. His original contract, signed upon his appointment in 2022, was set to expire in 2025.
However, a poor start to the new season led key decision-makers, including chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox, to suggest a change.
Last season, United faced difficulties both domestically and in European competitions, being eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League and only qualifying for the Europa League this season by winning the FA Cup.
The club had explored potential replacements, including England head coach Thomas Tuchel, newly appointed USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, former Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford’s Thomas Frank, and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna.
Ultimately, after a process led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford, the decision was made to move forward with Ten Hag.
United had been active in the summer transfer window, acquiring Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, and Noussair Mazraoui for a total expenditure of around £205 million ($274 million), including add-ons.
Just hours before the Liverpool defeat, Berrada had expressed that Ten Hag had the “full backing” of the club’s leadership.
