Sports

“We can reflect with pride” — Erik ten Hag extends contract

Published

6 months ago

July 4, 2024

"We can reflect with pride" -- Erik ten Hag extends contract

Manchester United has confirmed that Erik ten Hag will remain as manager until 2026, following a contract extension that solidifies his position amid previous speculation about his future.

Despite rumors of potential replacements during the final months of the 2023/24 campaign, with United’s owners INEOS reportedly in talks with managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel, the club has opted to retain ten Hag.

This decision comes on the back of his FA Cup victory in the final match of the season against Manchester City.

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Erik ten Hag, who originally had one year left on his deal, expressed his satisfaction with the extension.

“I am very pleased to have reached an agreement with the club to continue working together,” he told the club’s website.

Reflecting on his tenure, he added:

“We can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined. 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.”

The club’s decision to extend ten Hag’s contract comes despite an eighth-place finish in the Premier League. New sporting director Dan Ashworth highlighted the importance of continuity and ten Hag’s track record.

“With two trophies in the past two seasons, Erik has reinforced his record as one of the most consistently successful coaches in European football,” Ashworth stated.

“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.”

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Sports journalist Mark Ogden clarified that the extension was an activation of a 12-month option already present in ten Hag’s contract, rather than a new deal.

“Worth stressing that Utd already had a 12-month option on ETH contract to take him to 2026,” Ogden tweeted. “So this is exactly that. Option triggered rather than a new contract, as Rob states, on existing terms.”