Erik ten Hag is set to become the new manager of Bayer Leverkusen in a stunning snub of his former club Ajax, talkSPORT understands.
The Dutchman had looked set to return to Ajax, seven months after his sacking as Manchester United boss.
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This came after he was linked with the Leverkusen job as a possible replacement for Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso, but no approach was made.
On Friday morning it was believed he had decided to return to Ajax instead, replacing Francesco Farioli who recently resigned after the Amsterdam giants’ shocking Eredivisie title collapse.
But it appears Ten Hag has used his old club’s interest as bait to smoke out an approach from Leverkusen.
He is now set to become Alonso’s successor at the helm of the 2023/24 Bundesliga champions.
Ten Hag has been absent from the touchline since October when he was sacked by Manchester United.
The 55-year-old won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at Old Trafford but was dismissed from his post following a poor start to the current season.
United’s decision came two years after appointing from Ajax, who looked ready to welcome him back for a second stint.
But, in a stunning change of direction, he looks to be heading to Germany instead.
The Dutch giants won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and the Johan Cruyff Shield during Ten Hag’s first spell from 2018 until 2022.
He also led them to the semi-finals of the 2018/19 Champions League before they were dramatically beaten by Tottenham.
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Ajax have made three permanent appointments since losing Ten Hag in 2022 and also had as many interim bosses.
Alfred Schreuder, Maurice Steijn and, most recently, Farioli have all taken the job on a full-time basis.
Ten Hag would have been tasked with winning the club’s first Eredivisie title in three years, which came under his previous reign.
PSV Eindhoven were crowned champions for a second consecutive year on Sunday with a 3-1 win against Sparta Rotterdam, after Ajax bottled a nine-point lead at the top to ultimately finish runners-up.
Ajax could have had the title in their hands but a 2-2 draw away to Groningen in the penultimate game of the campaign saw them slip down to second.
At Leverkusen, Ten Hag will be tasked with leading another Bundesliga title charge after falling short to Bayern Munich this season.
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Die Werkself completed a remarkable unbeaten campaign in 2023/24 to be crowned league champions for the first time in their history with Alonso at the helm.
But the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder has been chosen as the man to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu, with the Italian moving into international management as the new Brazil boss.
The Leverkusen job with be Ten Hag’s fifth senior job of his career, which started at fellow Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles in 2012.
Ten Hag then joined Bayern Munich II, the German club’s reserve side, ahead of a spell at Utrecht and then Ajax.
