Erik ten Hag has signed a contract extension with Manchester United, keeping him at Old Trafford until 2026, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. There had been intense speculation over the Dutchman’s future following a disappointing 2023/24 Premier League campaign, but he redeemed himself by leading the club to FA Cup success against Manchester City.
Last month, British media widely reported that after a review by the club’s new part-owner, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, Ten Hag would remain in his position.
“Erik ten Hag has extended his contract as Manchester United men’s first-team manager until June 2026,” United said in a statement.
The former Ajax manager, whose previous contract was set to expire in 2025, acknowledged that there is still work to be done to close the gap on United’s Premier League rivals.
“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,” he 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.”
Dan Ashworth, Manchester United’s sporting director, added: “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.”
Ten Hag, 54, ended a six-year trophy drought for United in his first season by lifting the League Cup in 2023 and finishing third in the league, giving fans hope for a Premier League title bid in 2023/24. However, the team lost 14 games and ended the season with a negative goal difference, finishing 31 points behind champions Manchester City.