By Boluwatife Kehinde
Bayer Leverkusen have dismissed Erik ten Hag after only two Bundesliga matches in charge, the club confirmed on Monday.
The Dutch manager, appointed in the summer, failed to secure a win during his short spell.
His final outing was a dramatic 3-3 draw against 10-man Werder Bremen, following a 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim on the opening weekend.
READ ALSO: Erik Ten Hag bids farewell to Manchester United, wishing Trophies and Glory
Although Leverkusen thrashed fourth-tier Sonnenhof Großaspach 4-0 in the DFB-Pokal first round, the result did little to ease concerns.
Ten Hag moved to Germany after being sacked by Manchester United last October. His Old Trafford reign, spanning 2022 to 2024, brought mixed results.
In 128 matches, he won 72, drew 20 and lost 36, a 56% win rate—among the best since Sir Alex Ferguson.
In the Premier League, the 55-year-old oversaw 85 games, winning 44, but persistent defensive frailties led to several heavy defeats.
His high points came in domestic cups, guiding United to the EFL Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024, ending the club’s trophy drought. However, his European record—particularly in the Champions League—proved far less impressive.
Before United, Ten Hag enjoyed a glittering spell at Ajax from 2017 to 2022, winning three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and a Dutch Super Cup.
He also masterminded Ajax’s memorable run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, eliminating Real Madrid and Juventus. In 215 matches, he won 158, drew 28 and lost just 29, boasting a 73% win rate.
Leverkusen’s managing director, Simon Rolfes, admitted the decision to part ways with Ten Hag was difficult but insisted it was unavoidable.
READ ALSO: Erik ten Hag appointed Bayer Leverkusen Head coach
“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 setup is not feasible. We firmly believe in the quality of our squad and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup,” Rolfes said.
Ten Hag’s dismissal makes him the third former Manchester United manager to be sacked in the same week, following Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s departure from Beşiktaş and José Mourinho’s exit from Fenerbahçe.
