Former Ajax and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been dismissed by Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, the club confirmed on Monday, after just three official games in charge.
Ten Hag, who took over the German giants this summer, had been without a job since his sacking by Manchester United in November 2024. His appointment at Leverkusen was seen as a fresh start for both coach and club, but the relationship has ended prematurely.
Poor Bundesliga Start Seals Ten Hag’s Fate
Leverkusen enjoyed a strong preseason, winning three out of five matches, and also opened their campaign with a victory over Grossaspach in the DFB-Pokal. However, their Bundesliga form quickly unraveled, beginning with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim.
Pressure mounted further after a last-minute equaliser from Werder Bremen denied Leverkusen three points, fueling speculation over Ten Hag’s future.
Club Statement on Ten Hag’s Dismissal
Leverkusen’s sporting director Simon Rolfes admitted the decision to part ways with Ten Hag was difficult but necessary.
“This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step. However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this line-up is not feasible,” Rolfes explained.
“We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup.”
Club CEO Fernando Carro echoed this sentiment, stressing that the club’s goals would not have been met under Ten Hag’s leadership.
“A separation at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary. Our goal remains to achieve the targets we set for the season – and to do that, we need the best possible conditions at all levels and across the entire first team.”
Interim Management in Place
For now, Ten Hag’s assistants, Andries Ulderink and Rogier Meijer, will take temporary charge of first-team duties while the club searches for a permanent replacement.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has parted ways with head coach Erik ten Hag with immediate effect.
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) September 1, 2025
Training will be taken over by the assistant coaching staff for the time being. pic.twitter.com/aKrEtySB46
