🚨 Reports: Decision made, this manager to take charge at Bayer
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
Bayer Leverkusen has found a successor for Xabi Alonso as coach! At least, that's what 'Kicker', 'TheAthletic', and transfer experts like Fabrizio Romano are reporting in agreement. Accordingly, ETH and Leverkusen have reached an agreement, with only individual contract details still to be finalized.
🚨🔴⚫️ The agreement in principle between Erik ten Hag and Bayer Leverkusen is valid for two years, as revealed yesterday.Contract until June 2027, total priority from ETH to Bayer04 project… now waiting to get it sealed on club side. pic.twitter.com/OQIbkCMySp
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 24, 2025
According to their information, Erik ten Hag will be on the sidelines for the Werkself from next season. The Dutchman last coached Manchester United between July 2022 and October 2024. Now he is set to join the 2024 German champions with a two-year contract.
📸 Justin Setterfield - 2024 Getty Images
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Liverpool submit €130m transfer offer for Florian Wirtz
Liverpool have submitted an offer to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen worth up to €130million (£109m) in total. It is said by sources privy to the situation — speaking anonymously to protect relationships — to be an improved second bid form the newly-crowned Premier League champions. The proposed figure is a top-end amount, comprised of a guaranteed fee and potential add-ons. Advertisement Wirtz, 22, has emerged as a key target for Liverpool and the Germany international playmaker is keen on a move to Anfield. The Athletic reported on May 23 that Liverpool had opened talks with Leverkusen over the possible signing of Wirtz. Communication between the clubs had already been instigated with Jeremie Frimpong set to make the move to Anfield. Wirtz was also targeted by Bayern Munich, although the German champions were informed earlier this month of his preference to move to Liverpool. He has already visited the north west of England to look for houses to live in, should the deal proceed. The Germany international's Leverkusen contract runs until 2027, having last signed fresh terms in 2022. Wirtz starred as Leverkusen won a first league title in their history during the 2023-24 campaign and was named the Bundesliga's player of the season after scoring 18 goals and adding 20 assists. However, they failed to keep up with Bayern in the title race in 2024-25, finishing 13 points behind, with Wirtz contributing 16 goals and 15 assists. The playmaker has 29 caps for Germany since making his international debut in 2021. Analysis by Mark Carey Arne Slot has most commonly used Dominik Szoboszlai as Liverpool's attacking midfielder in his first season as Liverpool head coach, but the Hungary international has not necessarily shown all the traits you would typically associate with a player in that position. Szoboszlai has been a crucial cog in Slot's system, but as much for his off-ball energy in and out of possession as any of his qualities with the ball at his feet. Underlapping runs have been a crucial part of Liverpool's attacking play this season, with Szoboszlai's selfless running dragging opposition defenders with him — making space for the wingers to come inside and swing in back-post crosses to an onrushing team-mate. Advertisement While his selfless running is valuable, a return of five Premier League goals and six assists from 34 league appearances so far suggests there is room for improvement in Szoboszlai's attacking output — something Slot called out early on. Wirtz's basic attacking numbers are stronger, with 21 goals and 23 assists in the Bundesliga since the start of last season illustrating greater potency at the sharp end of the pitch, albeit while playing in a different league. They are different types of footballers. Wirtz is focused more on the micro, with delicate touches and deft flicks, compared to Szoboszlai's macro traits of energy and power. Both skill sets have their place depending on the opposition — if he joined them, Wirtz's close control and ball-carrying would add another dimension to Liverpool's attack rather than transform it. Wirtz's ability to play anywhere across the front line would add an extra layer of versatility to Slot's tactical setup, allowing him to rotate his attacking options during and between games without any decrease in quality. Whether dropping into pockets against deep blocks, pulling wide to evade his marker, or carrying the ball upfield single-handedly, Wirtz can do a bit of everything. Slot's first season has seen Liverpool scoring through their wide players rather than depending on a centre-forward. Wirtz could fit brilliantly into that mould, alleviating the need to sign a top striker, a notoriously difficult market. Given his youth, he could also help Liverpool prepare for life after Salah, who turns 33 next month. ()
an hour ago
McLaren's Piastri and Norris out to break Verstappen's hold on Spanish Grand Prix
MONTMELO, Spain -- Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have just three points between them at the top of the F1 standings as the McLaren pair aim to break Max Verstappen's hold on the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. Verstappen has driven his Red Bull to victory at the race held north of Barcelona for the last three seasons, using the high-speed track as a stepping stone toward his haul of four straight world championships so far. But McLaren has put Verstappen's reign in Spain — and overall title hopes — in jeopardy. Piastri and Norris have won six of the eight races so far in 2025, building on McLaren's constructors championship from last year. Now the question is if — or when — one of them will emerge as the team's best shot to dethrone Verstappen for the driver's title. Verstappen has won two races this year and is the only driver to stop a McLaren sweep so far. Piastri leads the standings with 161 points, with Verstappen in third place with 136. Piastri said that while Red Bull puts all its energies into Verstappen winning — with his new teammate Yuki Tsunoda clearly well behind — he and Norris make each other better even if they do take points off one another. 'Ultimately we want to be fighting for a championship, beating everyone on the grid,' Piastri told reporters in McLaren's motorhome at the track. 'And if you've got someone there pushing you, then whilst that gives you some challenges at times as a team and as a driver, it also increases your level, which is ultimately what you want.' Norris was McLaren's top driver until Piastri came along last season and showed that he will be a force to reckon with. Norris started this campaign with a win in Australia from pole. Piastri then took the top spot in China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami. But just when it looked like the Australian had the upper hand inside McLaren, Norris came back with a masterful performance to win on Monaco's iconic street circuit from pole last weekend. Verstappen etched his name into the history of F1 back in 2016 in Montmelo when he became F1's youngest race winner at age 18. This year, Verstappen and his Red Bull team have been in the unfamiliar position of trying to close the gap with their papaya-colored competitors. McLaren's Piastri and Lando have shown they are right up near Verstappen's talent level, and the Dutch master needs his team to deliver a perfect setup for his car to have a chance at beating them both. After winning at Imola two rounds ago, Verstappen signaled Barcelona as a track known for its high-speed corners where he hopes to make similar gains. That makes the race a near must-win for Verstappen. Norris, for one, is not anywhere near to ruling Verstappen out. 'If you think it's just out of me and Oscar, then I think you're a bit silly,' the English driver said. 'Come on. We're racing Max every weekend. He's been on the podium several times. He's won races. He beat us in Imola fair and square because he was quicker.' F1 will apply stricter tests for cars' front wings, starting with the Spanish GP. A flexible wing which bends backward under air resistance at high speed could offer an advantage by reducing the effect of drag on a car. The rule change set to come into effect in Spain was announced in March. F1 started testing rear wings for flexibility at the Chinese GP in March. McLaren previously faced scrutiny last season over footage appearing to show its rear wings bending at high speed in the Azerbaijan GP. The cars were considered legal. While drivers mostly downplayed the impact of the change, Williams' Carlos Sainz said it could produce 'one-tenth (of a second per lap) swing up or down through the field for each team depending on how much you were flexing or not.' If that were true, it could shake up the order among the front-runners, and also in the midfield group, which includes Williams. Teams have had less than a week to switch setups and strategies from the sinewy streets of Monaco to the fast 4.66-kilometer (2.89-mile) Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya where a good start usually proves key. The first corner at the end of the long start-finish straight is the best of relatively few opportunities to overtake. Last year, Verstappen pipped a pole-sitting Norris at the first turn and held him off for the win. The Spanish GP has been hosted at the track outside Barcelona since 1991. It was also a regular site of winter testing until recently, so it is well known to the experienced drivers. But with the grand prix only under contract through 2026, when Madrid will also get a new race, there are doubts regarding the future of the event in northeastern Catalonia.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Brentford reject Bayer Leverkusen bid of around €9m for goalkeeper Mark Flekken
Brentford have rejected an offer of around €9million (£7.6m; $10.2m) from Bayer Leverkusen for their first-choice goalkeeper Mark Flekken but negotiations are ongoing over a potential deal. Brentford are open to selling the Netherlands international but value him at closer to €13m and want to secure a replacement first. The west London side are interested in signing Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool. Kelleher, 26, is valued at around £20m by Liverpool and has entered the final year of his contract. Advertisement Flekken, who turns 32 in a couple of weeks, joined Brentford from German side Freiburg in May 2023 for £11.2m and has kept 14 clean sheets in 74 league appearances. He made a few high-profile errors in his first year but his performances improved during the second season. Flekken only missed one game this season, a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in February due to injury, as he helped Brentford finish 10th. Flekken started his career in the academy of Dutch side Roda JC but has spent the bulk of his career in Germany with Freiburg, Duisburg, Greuther Furth and Alemannia Aachen. Leverkusen declined to comment when approached by The Athletic. Brentford never sell key players until they have lined up a replacement and the best example of this involved Flekken a couple of years ago. Towards the end of the 2022-23 season, David Raya rejected a couple of contract offers and made it clear in multiple interviews that he wanted to leave. Brentford completed the signing of Flekken, who replaced Raya, in May. Raya did not join Arsenal, initially on loan before the deal was made permanent a year later, until August 2023. Brentford broke their club-record to sign Igor Thiago from Club Brugge in February 2024 as a long-term replacement for Ivan Toney. Thiago officially joined that summer but Toney's move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli was not completed until the final day of the window. Flekken will be missed by Brentford but he is the oldest player in their starting XI by a couple of years. If they manage to sign Kelleher, they will be replacing him with someone who is much younger and can continue to develop. Kelleher represents the Republic of Ireland and could be tempted to link up with his international captain Nathan Collins. Brentford have a good relationship with Liverpool after they signed Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho from them last year. ()
