Manchester United named Erik ten Hag as their new full-time manager of the first team. The Premier League giants, who are struggling off lately, in a press release said that the Dutchman wil be in charge from the end of this season until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.
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United are headed to a fifth consecutive trophiless season. They are placed on the sixth rung of the pointstable with 54 points in 33 games. The Red Devils sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjær in November. German manager Ralf Rangnick replaced the Norweigian on interim basis. biggest team in the Netherlands to two Eredivisie titles and the Champions League semifinals in 2019.
“During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth,” John Murtough, Football Director, said.
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Aside from a two-year spell with Bayern Munich’s reserve team (in 2013-15, when Pep Guardiola was in charge of the first team), ten Hag has coached only in the Netherlands — with Go Ahead Eagles, Utrecht and most recently Ajax since 2017.
An advocate of the 4-3-3 that is so popular in the Netherlands, ten Hag tries to play attractive, attacking football in the manner of the teams coached by Cruyff, whose shadow and philosophy hangs over the club like Ferguson’s does at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag said that he sees it as a huge challenger ahead.
“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,” the coach said.