Erik ten Hag leaves on private jet and returns to Holland just hours after Man Utd brutally sacked him
ERIK TEN HAG has flown back to Holland on a private jet just hours after being sacked by Manchester United.
The Dutchman was dismissed as Red Devils manager on Monday morning.
Ten Hag was seen getting into the back of his car as he left his Cheshire home following his dismissal.
The 54-year-old bowed his head and hid from the cameras as he prepared to travel back to Holland.
And now he has boarded a private jet as he flew to his home country on Monday afternoon.
Ten Hag could be seen sharing a hug with a marshal on the runway before climbing aboard his flight.
Man Utd released a blunt 87-word statement as the 54-year-old was relieved of his duties.
It read: “Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager.
“Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
“We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future.”
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Ten Hag’s assistant Ruud Van Nistelrooy will now take temporary charge at the Theatre of Dreams.
United star Bruno Fernandes has become the first player to pay tribute to Ten Hag.
The Portuguese playmaker wrote on Instagram: “Thanks for everything boss!
“I appreciate the trust and the moments we share together, I wish you all the best in the future.
“Even knowing the last period hasn’t been great from all of us, I hope you fans can keep with you the good things the manager has done for our club!”
Ten Hag was sacked with United 14th in the Premier League and £300MILLION out of pocket.
He was handed a one-year contract extension over the summer after an unexpected triumph in the FA Cup.
Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man Utd
SunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.
THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.
And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.
If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.
The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.
He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.
None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.
Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.
And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.
Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.
Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.
Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.
Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.
Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.
Thomas Tuchel would also have been a popular and gettable option – but England got in there first.
Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.
Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.
Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.
Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.
So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.
SunSport understands the United boardroom was keen to give the Dutchman a chance to work under the new structure put in place by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
However, they were left disappointed by both the results and the performances on the pitch this season.
In his two seasons with the club, Ten Hag signed 21 players at a cost of over £545m.
He won 70 of his 128 games in change, at a win ratio of just under 55 per cent.
The Dutchman’s final game was a 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday.
Who could replace Ten Hag at Man Utd?
ERIK TEN HAG has finally been put out of his Manchester United misery - but who will be the manager to lead them into the future?
Ruud van Nistelrooy
The Red Devils legend, 48, is no stranger to the pressures of Old Trafford.
Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for Man Utd and helped them to the 2002-03 Premier League title.
The striker also starred for another monster club, Real Madrid, as a player before going into coaching.
The 70-cap ex-Holland international managed PSV’s youth team before landing the senior job for the 2022-23 season.
Van Nistelrooy landed a coaching job under Ten Hag earlier this year and is said to have done a superb job working with the clubs strikers behind the scenes.
And now he will have the chance to show what he can do in a live ‘interview’ of sorts.
How long the club will give him is another matter.
Gareth Southgate
The former England boss, 54, has long been linked with the Man Utd job.
The former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough defender has gone on to enjoy great success as a manager – albeit without getting his hands on a major trophy.
Southgate managed Middlesbrough between 2006 and 2009 before taking on the England Under-21s job between 2013 and 2016.
The 57-cap former Three Lions international then took the senior national job, replacing Roy Hodgson.
Southgate brought the nation together as he led England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, as well as the final of Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
However, he left his role in the summer following the defeat to Spain and was replaced by Lee Carsley on an interim basis.
Thomas Tuchel – another boss long linked with the Old Trafford job – will take over the reins in 2025.
Southgate has been out of club management for 15 years and a portion of England fans were frustrated by what they deemed a defensive style.
However, his ability to largely galvanise the fan-base and deal with the pressure of one of the biggest jobs in sport with real class would be a huge asset for United.
Edin Terzic
Earlier this month, SunSport revealed Edin Terzic is the shock name on United’s list to replace Ten Hag.
German Terzic took Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final last season before surprisingly quitting.
He has many admirers at Old Trafford and it would he a smart but unexpected move to go for him if they sack under-fire Ten Hag.
Terzic, 41, did his coaching badges in England, where he was friends with fellow United target Graham Potter, and then worked as Slaven Bilic’s No 2 at West Ham.
He rose to the top in Germany during two spells at Dortmund before he walked away in June.
Graham Potter
The English boss, 49, has been out of work since being axed by Chelsea in April 2023.
Potter excited fans with his attacking approach at Brighton before he was poached by the Blues.
However, he failed to lift Chelsea out of their funk and was given his marching orders.
Potter’s fans include Manchester City mastermind Pep Guardiola.
And there’s no doubt the ex-OstersundS FK and Swansea boss would get United playing on the front foot, something Old Trafford fans have long craved.
Kieran McKenna
Cruelly denied a playing career due to injury, the former Tottenham youth prospect has excelled as a coach.
McKenna, 38, worked as Under-18s coach at both Spurs and Man Utd before landing the top job at Ipswich Town.
The young boss incredibly guided the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions, guiding them from League One back to the Premier League, ending the club’s 22-year absence.
McKenna was quickly added to a host of clubs’ wish-lists, including Man Utd, according to reports.
But Ipswich reacted swiftly to offer him a new, long-term contract.
However, his side are yet to win any of their opening nine Premier League games, with four wins and five defeats.
McKenna has Ipswich playing exciting, expansive football – something Man Utd fans crave.
The big question now is whether McKenna opts to jump ship or stay loyal.
Ruben Amorim, Xavi and Thomas Frank are also three names very much believed to be in the running.