Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Tuesday, 06 January 2026 22:25 / Updated Tuesday, 06 January 2026 22:26
Erik ten Hag (55) returns to Dutch football. The former Ajax, Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen coach has been officially unveiled as the new technical director of FC Twente, the club where he began his playing and coaching career.
FC Twente confirmed the move in an official statement. Ten Hag will take over from February 1st, and next season will take over completely from Jan Streuer, the current director, who will retire at the end of the current season. The Dutchman's contract runs until the summer of 2028.
Homecoming for Erik ten Hag
For Ten Hag, the return to Twente has a special charge:
“It's wonderful and special to be back at FC Twente, a club I've supported since childhoodfrom the time of Het Diekman Stadium. This is where my careers began, both as a player and as a coach.”
The former Ajax coach says the experience gained at the highest level will help him build for the long term:
“With my experience in youth development, team building and the culture of elite sport, I want to strengthen the technical foundation of the club and help FC Twente reach its potential,” the Dutchman said on the club's official page.
FC Twente official: “Erik's connection with the club has always remained strong”
The club's general manager, Dominique Scholten, explained the choice:
“Erik has an impressive career in football and his connection with FC Twente has always been very strong. We have been in constant contact over the last few months and his ambition fits perfectly with the club's strategy.”
Sudden departure from Germany
As a coach, Erik ten Hag saw his greatest performances at Ajax, where he reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 2018-2019 season, winning the title and the Dutch Cup in the same year.
He later took over Manchester United in 2022, where he won the League Cup and FA Cup, but was sacked in 2024 after a string of poor results. The last experience on the bench was at Bayer Leverkusen, where he lasted only three official matches, being dismissed in September 2025, the fastest dismissal in the history of the Bundesliga.
