Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has extended his contract until 2026, the club has said.
The Dutchman’s future as United boss had been in doubt at the end of the season after the team finished eighth, the club’s lowest placing in the Premier League era.
But he also guided United to the FA Cup, thanks to a stirring 2-1 win over their fiercest rivals, Manchester City – the Premier League champions – in the final.
Ten Hag, 54, said: “I am very pleased to have reached agreement with the club to continue working together.
“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.
“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.
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“In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision for reaching those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together.”
He signed a three-year deal with United in 2022 – which was due to expire next summer – taking over from the club’s interim coach Ralf Rangnick after former coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.
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Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna and Gareth Southgate were all linked with taking over at United, Sky Sports said.
But the club opted to keep Ten Hag, who recently revealed on Dutch TV he discovered the news while away with his family on holiday.
Ten Hag’s original contract ended at the end of the 2024/25 season, with United having the option of extending it by a further 12 months.
United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth said: “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.
“This group of players and staff have already shown they are capable of competing and winning at the top level; now we need to do it more consistently.
May’s FA Cup triumph was Ten Hag’s second trophy in as many years after winning the Carabao Cup in 2023.
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The Dutchman had to contend with an injury-ravaged squad throughout the season but managed to salvage Europa League qualification with the victory over City at Wembley.
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A post-season review concluded Ten Hag deserves a chance to show what more he is capable of within the new sporting structure implemented following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS taking charge of football operations.
