Manchester United have extended Erik ten Hag’s contract until June 2026.
Ten Hag was already under contract at Old Trafford until mid-2025, but the club has now activated the existing option for a further twelve months.
The 54-year-old was retained as United manager following the club’s end-of-season review and has now extended his previous deal – which was due to expire at the end of the upcoming 2024-25 season – on the existing terms.
The Dutchman was appointed United manager in 2022 after winning six trophies – including three Eredivisie titles – in four-and-a-half seasons as Ajax manager.
“I am very pleased that we have reached an agreement with the club to continue the collaboration,” said Ten Hag.
“When we look back over the last two years, we can look back with pride on two trophies and many examples of progress compared to where we were when I arrived. However, we must also be clear that there is still a lot of hard work ahead to reach the level expected of Manchester United, which means challenging for English and European titles.
“In my discussions with the club we have found complete unity in our vision to achieve those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together.”
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The club’s new sporting director Dan Ashworth, who was appointed at Old Trafford earlier this week, said of Ten Hag’s contract extension: “With two trophies in the last two seasons, Erik has cemented his reputation as one of the most consistently successful coaches in European football.
“While the club’s evaluation of last season identified areas for improvement, it also came to a clear conclusion that Erik was the best partner for us to work with to raise standards and results. This group of players and staff have already shown they are capable of competing and winning at the top level; now we need to do it more consistently.”
United’s eighth-place finish in the 2023-24 Premier League was their lowest since 1990, and they were also knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage.
However, Ten Hag led the club to their first FA Cup success since 2016 with a final victory over Manchester City, while he lifted the Carabao Cup in his first season as manager, ending United’s six-year run without a trophy.
Ten Hag led United to their FA Cup success in May (Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, United are in talks to add Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake to Ten Hag’s coaching staff. There is also talk of a change of coach.
The Athletics reported in June that first-team coach Benni McCarthy will leave the club at the end of his contract, with assistant coach Mitchell van der Gaag likely to leave. Steve McClaren and Darren Fletcher are both likely to remain on Ten Hag’s staff.
The Athletics has also reported that former United striker Van Nistelrooy is in talks over a return to Old Trafford, having previously been a candidate for the vacant managerial position at Burnley.
Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006, making him a firm fan favourite. In his only season as manager of PSV Eindhoven, he won the Dutch Cup.
The 47-year-old player has not held a coaching position since leaving PSV at the end of the 2022-23 season. He will likely join Ten Hag’s coaching staff, alongside 52-year-old Hake. Hake is said to be stepping down as head coach of Eredivisie club Go Ahead Eagles, where Ten Hag began his coaching career.
Hake is an experienced coach who has coached five clubs in the Netherlands, including two seasons at FC Twente and 18 months as head coach at FC Utrecht.
Van der Gaag, who has ambitions to become head coach again, and McCarthy joined United in the summer of 2022 along with Ten Hag.
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Within the season in which Erik ten Hag’s role at Manchester United was examined
(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
