Erik ten Hag appointed Manchester United manager

Erik ten Hag, who established himself as one of the most respected and successful coaches in the Netherlands while in charge of Ajax, has been appointed Manchester United manager, the Premier League club announced Thursday.

Ten Hag has signed a contract until June 2025, with the option of an additional year, and will replace interim manager Ralf Rangnick at the end of the current campaign.

The Dutchman will oversee a rebuild at Old Trafford, with United having failed to win a trophy since 2017 and finishing a disappointing sixth in the Premier League this season.

Ten Hag, 52, is a former defender who spent the bulk of his playing career with Twente before retiring in 2002. He began his coaching career in the youth ranks at Twente and Go Ahead Eagles before being appointed manager of Go Ahead Eagles II in 2012.

In 2015, ten Hag was appointed manager of Utrecht, where he led the club to the Dutch Cup final in 2016. He joined Ajax in December 2017 and won the league and cup double in his first season in charge.

Ten Hag won another league and cup double in 2019 and led Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. He also won the Eredivisie in 2021 and 2022.

Ten Hag is known for his attacking style of play and his ability to develop young players. He is also a strong disciplinarian and has a reputation for being a demanding coach.

Ten Hag's appointment at Manchester United is a major coup for the club. He is one of the most highly-rated coaches in the world and his arrival is expected to reignite the club's hopes of competing for major trophies.

Ten Hag will be tasked with turning around the fortunes of a Manchester United team that has been in decline for several years. The club has not won a trophy since 2017 and has finished outside the top four in the Premier League for the past five seasons.

Ten Hag will also be tasked with rebuilding the squad, which has been plagued by injuries and poor performances this season. The club has a number of aging players and will need to sign new players in the summer to compete for major trophies.

Ten Hag's appointment is a sign of Manchester United's ambition to return to the top of the Premier League. The club has not won the league title since 2013 and has not won a major European trophy since 2017.

Ten Hag will be under pressure to deliver success at Manchester United. The club has a large and demanding fan base and the manager will be expected to win trophies quickly.

However, ten Hag has a proven track record of success and is one of the most respected coaches in the world. He will be confident of turning around the fortunes of Manchester United and leading the club back to the top of the Premier League.