Erik ten Hag linked with Champions League club as former Man Utd boss lined up for return to management
Erik ten Hag has been linked with a swift return to management following his sacking from Manchester United.
Ten Hag was given the boot in October with United in 14th place and experiencing their worst ever start to a Premier League season after nine games. A defeat to West Ham proved to be the final straw for the Dutchman, with Ruud van Nistelrooy coming in as interim boss before Ruben Amorim was announced a permanent replacement.
The 54-year-old won both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup at United, finishing with a 55% win ratio.
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But while he is enjoying a break from management and has been watching football back in his native Netherlands, the former Ajax boss could be making a return to the dugout earlier than expected.
According to Patrick Berger of Sky Germany, Ten Hag is a potential candidate to replace Marco Rose at RB Leipzig. Rose is under pressure at the Red Bull outfit after six games without a win, with the team currently in fourth spot in the Bundesliga and right down in 34th in the Champions League table without a single victory in five matches.
They were trounced 5-1 by VFL Wolfsburg at the weekend and haven't tasted victory since October 29 when they beat St Pauli in the DFB Pokal second round.
A round of 16 clash with Eintracht Frankfurt could be decisive in Rose's future and they have already sounded out possible replacements.
Roger Schmidt is a key target and has worked for sister club Red Bull Salzburg before, as well as taking charge of Bayer Leverkusen for three years between 2014 and 2017.
He was sacked by Benfica back in August and so is out of work, but it's claimed that the 57-year-old does not wish to take a job in the middle of the season and would prefer to wait until the summer.
It could open the door for Ten Hag to get back into management. He has experience coaching in Germany, having had a spell in charge of Bayern Munich's second team when Pep Guardiola was at the helm.
Topics: Erik Ten Hag, Champions League, Man Utd
Josh Lawless