Bayer Leverkusen’s dismissal of Erik ten Hag after just two Bundesliga games has shown the weight of the transformation the club are grappling with.
Just over a year after celebrating a historic first league title under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen find themselves stripped of key leaders, searching for cohesion, and unwilling to risk early-season drift.
Ten Hag’s abrupt exit, announced on Monday, underlines the tension between expectations and the harsh realities of Leverkusen rebuilding its squad and identity.
Leverkusen’s season so far underwhelming
While Ten Hag’s reign began with promise as he oversaw a convincing German Cup win against fourth division side Sonnenhof Grossaspach, it quickly unraveled.
The team’s Bundesliga season begun with a 2–1 home defeat to Hoffenheim before a stoppage-time collapse in a 3–3 draw against 10-man Werder Bremen followed this past weekend.
Sporting director Simon Rolfes admitted Ten Hag’s dismissal was painful but unavoidable: “The past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this set-up is not feasible.”
Rolfes signalled the problem was not just results, but deeper doubts about whether the Dutch coach was the man to guide Leverkusen’s fragile squad through upheaval.
Ten Hag’s depature inevitable after Bremen draw
Ten Hag, who coached Bayern Munich’s reserves from 2013 to 2015, inherited a Leverkusen squad in flux with the summer seeing an exodus of key players: Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah were all sold while Alonso moved to Real Madrid.
It stripped away the backbone of the team that had defined Leverkusen’s identity. Integrating replacements proved difficult, with early performances showing confusion rather than cohesion between the players.
Reports from inside the club pointed to strained relationships and tactical misgivings. According to German magazine Kicker, pressing and counter-pressing — once the hallmarks of Leverkusen’s rise — were virtually absent.
Captain Robert Andrich added to the chorus of concerns, lamenting after the Bremen draw: “We have too many people who are concerned only with themselves… Everyone ran around the pitch on their own.”
Germany international Robert Andrich has criticized his teammates publicly this seasonImage: Anke Waelischmiller/SVEN SIMON/picture alliance
Ten Hag himself admitted the turmoil but offered few solutions, saying: “There’s been a major upheaval. A lot has changed in the leadership and hierarchy of the team. New players have to step up. We didn’t do that well today.”
Who could comes next?
With the international break meaning a two-week break from Bundesliga fixtures, Leverkusen have placed assistant coaches Rogier Meijer and Andries Ulderink in temporary charge of first-team duties. The club confirmed in its official statement that training will be overseen by the existing staff “for the time being.”
The search is underway for Ten Hag’s replacement, with Cesc Fabregas a leading contender having reportedly entered into advanced talks over the role with Leverkusen before the club picked the former Manchester United head coach.
Fabregas is currently managing Italian side Como and is a minority shareholder there but has publicly hinted at leaving the club, fueling speculation that Leverkusen could be his next destination.
Another possibility is former Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez, who has been seen by some as another candidate aligned with Leverkusen’s offensive football philosophy.
He helped Barca secure their first La Liga title in four years during the 2022-23 season as well as lifting the 2023 Spanish Supercopa. Xavi, Fabregas and Alonso were all central midfielders in Spain’s 2010 World Cup winning squad and Leverkusen’s CEO, Fernando Carro, also hails from Spain.
Imanol Alguacil, another Spaniard, is also seen as a possible outsider, with the Real Sociedad manager being cited by Sky Germany as a potential candidate, as he plays in a a style matched to Levekusen’s core identity.
The 54-year-old’s sides are known for aggressive pressing and quick recovery of possession, as well as being drilled to defend as a compact unit and staying organized even when pressing high.
Edited by: Matt Pearson
