New Delhi: Manchester United announced extension of head coach Erik ten Hag’s contract on Thursday, saying a deal has been agreed till June 2026.
The Dutchman’s tenure was set to end in June 2025 and there was a lot of speculation over his future despite winning two trophies in his forst two years in charge.
Reports suggested he was set to be sacked after securing only an eighth place finish in the English Premier League. But an unlikely FA Cup victory over Manchester City improved odds of him keeping his job.
United then decided to stick with him after conducting a performance review and offered him a one-year extension on his previous contract as it was set to expire at the end of the upcoming season.
“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.
“In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision for reaching those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together.”
✍️ Here to stay.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 4, 2024
He joined United from Dutch giants Ajax in 2022 and led them to the English League Cup in his first year in England, following it up with an FA Cup triumph last season.
Man United are undertaking a major overhaul of their operations since new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has taken over reins, following buying of a 27.7% stake in February.
He has appointed a new CEO, sporting director and technical director with a target of taking the record 20-time English champions to the top of European football.
“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,” United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth said.
“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.
“With our strengthened football leadership team now in place, we are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with Erik to achieve our shared ambitions for this football club.”
Man United offered Erik ten Hag a one-year extension on his previous contract as it was set to expire at the end of the upcoming season. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
