Erik ten Hag has signed a contract extension with Manchester United, keeping him at Old Trafford until 2026, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.
Despite intense speculation about his future following a disappointing 2023–24 Premier League season, Ten Hag led the team to FA Cup victory against Manchester City. British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, the club’s new part-owner, reviewed the situation last month, and it was widely leaked in the British media that Ten Hag would remain at the club.
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“Erik ten Hag has extended his contract as Manchester United men’s first-team manager until June 2026,” United said in a statement.
Reflecting on past successes and future challenges
The former Ajax manager’s previous contract was set to expire in 2025. Ten Hag acknowledged that while there had been significant progress, there was still a long way to go to match the standards expected of Manchester United.
“Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined,” Ten Hag said. “However, we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead to reach the levels expected of Manchester United, which means challenging for English and European titles.”
Support from Manchester United’s sporting director
Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth praised Ten Hag’s achievements and reaffirmed the club’s commitment to him. “With two trophies in the past two seasons, Erik has reinforced his record as one of the most consistently successful coaches in European football. While the club’s review of last season highlighted areas for improvement, it also reached a clear conclusion that Erik was the best partner for us to work with in driving up standards and outcomes.”
Achievements and setbacks
Erik Ten Hag, 54, ended Manchester United’s six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup in 2023 and securing a third-place finish in the league, giving fans hope for a Premier League title bid in 2023/24. However, the team faced significant challenges, losing 14 games and ending the season with a negative goal difference, 31 points behind champions Manchester City.
With his contract extension, Ten Hag has the opportunity to build on his initial successes and address the shortcomings of the previous season, aiming to restore Manchester United to its former glory in both domestic and European competitions.
