Latest news with #TenHag
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Erik ten Hag has already 'annoyed and upset' ex-Arsenal star Granit Xhaka
Erik ten Hag has upset Granit Xhaka with his period of silence after being named the new Bayer Leverkusen boss which has caused the Arsenal star to question his future Erik ten Hag has already managed to annoy Granit Xhaka since being appointed as Bayer Leverkusen boss, according to reports in Germany. The Dutch coach returned to the dugout after several months out of the game following his Manchester United sacking. He's inherited a squad from Xabi Alonso that won the Bundesliga title this time last year with Xhaka a crucial cog in their midfield. The ex-Arsenal man has proved a huge hit in Germany but he and the new manager have not struck it off on the right note. Bild claim that Ten Hag made a deliberate effort to give his new Leverkusen players time and space before touching base for the first time. However this approach has not been universally well received with Xhaka among those to take issue with the new manager's idea. Ten Hag only made contact with the former Arsenal midfielder three weeks after his appointment. That lack of communication has seen the Swiss star question his future. Ten Hag has been keen to underlined how important he felt the 32-year-old would be to his plans moving forward, but the period of silence looks to have backfire on the new manager. Xhaka was an integral part of Alonso's remarkable Bundesliga-winning side that went unbeaten all year and claimed the German Cup. He has a contract at the BayArena until 2028 but AC Milan are circling. It's claimed a deal could be sealed if Milan make an offer in the region of £12.8million, despite Leverkusen initially holding out for a fee of £34m. The German side have already seen a host of their leading lights leave, putting Ten Hag on the back foot as he begins his tenure. Florian Wirtz has left for Liverpool in a British-record deal that has banked the club more than £100m. Jeremie Frimpong has also joined him in moving to Anfield whilst defensive star Jonathan Tah has moved to arch rivals Bayern Munich on a free when his contract expired. It does leave Leverkusen with money to spend however after finishing second in the Bundesliga. Ten Hag had been tipped to return to Ajax, only for him to reject the Eredivisie outfit in favour of a move to Leverkusen when they came calling. He signed a two-year contract and will look to prove himself once again after a poor end to his spell in charge in Manchester.
Metro
3 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
The reason Erik ten Hag has already 'annoyed' Granit Xhaka at Bayer Leverkusen
Erik ten Hag has managed to 'annoy' and 'upset' Granit Xhaka just weeks after being appointed as the new head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, according to reports in Germany. The 55-year-old Dutchman had been out of a job since being dismissed by Manchester United last October, with Ruben Amorim picking up the pieces at Old Trafford. A return to Ajax was rumoured to be on the cards, only for Ten Hag to reject the Eredivisie outfit in favour of a move to Leverkusen ahead of the 2025/26 season. Ten Hag went on to put pen to paper on a two-year contract with Leverkusen to fill the void left by Xabi Alonso, who took charge of Real Madrid earlier this summer. 'Leverkusen one of the best clubs in Germany and also among the top clubs in Europe,' Ten Hag told reporters as he was unveiled to the media in late May. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. 'I've come to Leverkusen to continue with the ambition shown in recent years. 'It's an attractive challenge to set up something together in this period of change and develop an ambitious team.' According to German publication Bild, Ten Hag made a deliberate effort to give Leverkusen's players time and space before reaching out to his new squad on the back of what had been a long and gruelling campaign. However, the report states this approach has rubbed some up the wrong way, including Xhaka, with Ten Hag only making contact with the former Arsenal midfielder three weeks after his appointment. While Ten Hag made sure to underline Xhaka's importance to his plans during their conversation, the bizarre lack of communication has only made the Swiss further question his future at the club. Serie A giants AC Milan have been alerted to the situation and Xhaka is said to have been perceptive to their advances, eager to push through a proposed switch to the San Siro. It's claimed a deal could be reached should Milan make an offer in the region of €15million (£12.8m) for Xhaka, despite Leverkusen initially holding out for a fee of €40m (£34m). Xhaka, who was an integral part of Alonso's remarkable Bundesliga-winning side two years ago, is tied into a contract at BayArena until 2028. There has already been something of an exodus at Leverkusen, with Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong both leaving for Premier League champions Liverpool this summer. Germany central defender Jonathan Tah, meanwhile, upped sticks and joined Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich after his contract with Leverkusen expired at the end of last season. 'Of course, the players who are leaving or have left are a huge loss, definitely,' Xhaka told reporters earlier this month while away on international duty with Switzerland. 'They were extremely important for the team.' Pressed on speculation he could also be set for the exit door at Leverkusen, Xhaka replied: 'With [Leverkusen directors] Simon Rolfes and Fernando Carro, we have enough players who can hopefully get the team back to that level. 'Whether it's with or without me is another question. 'But as of today, I'm here. We're happy and that's what matters. Xhaka hinted he was open to a fresh challenge away from Leverkusen and reassured fans that he would provide clarity over his future in due course. 'I haven't played everywhere yet,' he added. 'Of course, you think about it, but as I said, my mind is far away. I have my family and my management to take care of such things. 'When the time comes and you have an offer on the table, then you start thinking about it. 'And when the time comes for a transfer to take place, I'll definitely let you know.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Arsenal submit £9m bid to sign Brentford star MORE: Ray Parlour claims Arsenal transfer target Benjamin Sesko has big weakness he must improve MORE: Liverpool make approach to sign Viktor Gyokeres ahead of Arsenal
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Erik ten Hag meets Robbie Williams and poses for pic as axed Man Utd coach enjoys time off before starting new job
ERIK TEN HAG met pop star Robbie Williams while at a concert before starting his new job. The Dutch manager had been out of work since his 5 Erik ten Hag met Robbie Williams after a concert in Amsterdam Credit: Instagram 5 Williams performed at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Holland Credit: Instagram Ten Hag, 55, is now back in football as he was named the He has been enjoying himself before his arrival at the BayArena, which has included watching the former Take That star perform in Amsterdam. He would have known his way around the iconic stadium, having managed READ MORE ON FOOTBALL He was able to get backstage after the show and posed for a picture alongside the 'Angels' singer. Williams shared the snap on Instagram in a post showing off his time in He capitoned it: "Two incredible nights in Amsterdam… that was fun. "All the love, Rob." Most read in Football JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Williams also attached a picture of himself next to a Port Vale banner to make sure his true allegiances were known. It is not the first time that their paths have crossed, as Ten Hag met the singer in 2022. Erik ten Hag's first day as Bayer Leverkusen manager 5 He was sacked by Manchester United last October Credit: Getty 5 He is now the manager at Erik ten Hag Credit: Alamy Williams visited the Despite his fondness for Port Vale, he is a Red Devils supporter and previously insisted that he was in favour of Ten Hag's "football philosophy". Ten Hag will already have plenty of work to do at The 2023/24 Bundesliga champions have sold both Highly-rated defender The club has welcomed 5
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Erik ten Hag meets Robbie Williams and poses for pic as axed Man Utd coach enjoys time off before starting new job
It is not the first time that their paths have crossed SEXED UP Erik ten Hag meets Robbie Williams and poses for pic as axed Man Utd coach enjoys time off before starting new job ERIK TEN HAG met pop star Robbie Williams while at a concert before starting his new job. The Dutch manager had been out of work since his sacking by Manchester United in October 2024. Advertisement 5 Erik ten Hag met Robbie Williams after a concert in Amsterdam Credit: Instagram 5 Williams performed at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Holland Credit: Instagram Ten Hag, 55, is now back in football as he was named the replacement for Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. He has been enjoying himself before his arrival at the BayArena, which has included watching the former Take That star perform in Amsterdam. Ten Hag was at the gig at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday evening. He would have known his way around the iconic stadium, having managed Ajax between 2018 and 2022. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL MARC UP FOR DEAL Barcelona ready to grant Rashford dream move as strict conditions are set He was able to get backstage after the show and posed for a picture alongside the 'Angels' singer. Williams shared the snap on Instagram in a post showing off his time in Holland. He capitoned it: "Two incredible nights in Amsterdam… that was fun. "All the love, Rob." Advertisement JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Williams also attached a picture of himself next to a Port Vale banner to make sure his true allegiances were known. It is not the first time that their paths have crossed, as Ten Hag met the singer in 2022. Erik ten Hag's first day as Bayer Leverkusen manager 5 He was sacked by Manchester United last October Credit: Getty Advertisement 5 He is now the manager at Erik ten Hag Credit: Alamy Williams visited the Man United Carrington training ground on the day Cristiano Ronaldo was axed by the club. Despite his fondness for Port Vale, he is a Red Devils supporter and previously insisted that he was in favour of Ten Hag's "football philosophy". Ten Hag will already have plenty of work to do at Bayer Leverkusen due to the club's activity in the transfer market. Advertisement The 2023/24 Bundesliga champions have sold both Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool. Highly-rated defender Odilon Kossounou has also left for Atalanta in Italy. The club has welcomed Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, Hertha attacker Ibrahim Maza and Bochum defender Tim Oermann. 5
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd suffering from £400m mess that Ruben Amorim's summer signings must fix
Despite Manchester United having a hefty transfer budget to reclaim their spot amongst England's footballing elite, recruitment has been a significant hurdle. The Red Devils have struggled to maintain consistent success since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, but it's not for want of effort. Without a Premier League title since the 2012/13 season, the club has been on the hunt for that elusive 21st league victory, splashing out colossal sums of money in the process. After cycling through managers like David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, United entrusted the reins to club icon Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He made a splash in his first full season, shelling out over £200million on Daniel James, Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Bruno Fernandes. However, it's the five-year period from the summer of 2020 that has seen the club - who've spent over £400m during this time - experience a historic plummet, culminating in their 15th-placed finish last season, their worst league position since the 1973/74 season. Solskjaer approved the signings of Donny van de Beek, Alex Telles, and Facundo Pellistri in 2020. Van de Beek cost £35m and only played 62 matches for the club before departing for an initial fee of just £423,000 (€500,000). In his final and most significant transfer window at the club, the Norwegian legend brought Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, splashed out £34million on World Cup champion Raphael Varane, and forked out a staggering £73m for Jadon Sancho. The Englishman arrived with a glowing reputation from his stint at Borussia Dortmund but failed to replicate his German form. Sancho, 25, eventually fell out of favour with Solskjaer's successor, Erik ten Hag, who relegated him from the first-team in the 2023/24 season. He was subsequently loaned out to Chelsea last season after being deemed surplus to requirements by Amorim and is expected to leave the club once again. Like Solskjaer, Ten Hag received strong backing in the transfer market as he raided the Eredivisie, signing Tyrell Malacia for £13m and Lisandro Martinez for £46m from his former club Ajax. He also made Antony the second-most expensive player in United's history, spending £81m to secure him. The Brazilian may have had a promising start, scoring three goals in his first three games, but he managed just nine more goals in his next 93 games, earning him the dishonour of being one of the worst signings in Premier League history. He was loaned out to Real Betis in January and is likely to be one of the players leaving United permanently. The 2023/24 transfer dealings of United are something they continue to pay the price for. The big-money signings of Mason Mount (£55m), Andre Onana (£43m) and Rasmus Hojlund (£64m) have all failed to hit the mark, with the striker and goalkeeping positions expected to be bolstered this summer. Despite United actively searching the managerial market to potentially replace Ten Hag following his FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, he remained at the helm as he once again splashed the cash. Among the likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, and Leny Yoro, it was the £36m spent on Joshua Zirkzee that left fans feeling deflated after a disappointing debut season at Old Trafford. The forward netted a paltry seven goals, with just three of them coming in the Premier League. There are several areas Amorim is looking to strengthen and he has filled one void so far after signing Matheus Cunha for £62.5m from Wolves earlier this month. The Portuguese boss is also a huge fan of Bryan Mbeumo and Viktor Gyokeres as he looks to address United's goal-scoring woes. A replacement for Onana could be in the pipeline this summer in what could turn out to be the most crucial summer in United's recent history - or just another huge dump of money after seeing in excess of £400m go down the drain. Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
