Bayer Leverkusen parts ways with Ten Hag: who will be the next coach?

Bayer Leverkusen parts ways with Ten Hag: who will be the next coach?

The 2025 football year started more turbulent than expected for Bayer Leverkusen. After just two Bundesliga games, the club parted ways with coach Erik ten Hag. His dismissal doesn't come as a complete surprise, as Leverkusen has not been able to convince in the league so far. Although the DFB Cup start was promising with a clear 4-0 win against Sonnenhof Grossaspach, the Bundesliga opened with a failed performance - a 1-2 defeat against Hoffenheim. In the following game, Leverkusen were already 3-1 ahead against Werder Bremen, but were unable to maintain this lead and ended 3-3. This all led to the decision that Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen's sporting director, described as necessary to stabilize the team's course. CEO Fernando Carro spoke of a painful but necessary measure to achieve the season's goals. The departure of Xabi Alonso and the subsequent signing of Ten Hag were part of a larger upheaval at the club, which also affected many key players such as Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka.

The coaching question is now at the top of the works club’s agenda. Numerous former successful coaches are ready to take the helm. Among the candidates is Marco Rose, who has been without a job since March 2025 and already has experience with clubs such as Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund. Edin Terzic, who left BVB in the summer of 2024, is also interested in a new challenge, while Roger Schmidt, who was in charge from 2014 to 2017, is also under discussion. In addition, legends like Joachim Löw or José Mourinho, who have not yet worked in the Bundesliga, could take on the coaching position in Leverkusen.

Potential successors

The list of possible successors for Erik ten Hag is long and varied:

• Marco Rose: Erfahrung in der Bundesliga, aktuell ohne Job seit kurzem.
• Edin Terzic: Wünscht sich zwar England, könnte aber für Leverkusen eine Option sein.
• Roger Schmidt: Ehemaliger Leverkusen-Trainer, seit 2024 arbeitslos.
• Xavi Hernández: Barca-Legende, hatte bereits zuvor das Angebot abgelehnt.
• Joachim Löw: Wartet auf eine Rückkehr, fand bisher jedoch kein passendes Angebot.
• José Mourinho: Sein Comeback als Trainer in der Bundesliga könnte für Aufsehen sorgen.
• Zsolt Löw: Ehemaliger Trainer bei RB Leipzig, seit 2024 ohne Verein.
• Domenico Tedesco: Erfahren und international aktiv, nach seinem Engagement in Belgien ebenfalls auf der Suche.
• Nuri Sahin: Der ehemalige BVB-Star wartet auf eine neue Herausforderung.
• Mark van Bommel: Sucht seine Rückkehr in die Bundesliga nach einer erfolgreichen Zeit bei Royal Antwerpen.

The next few weeks are likely to be crucial for the direction of the club, which wants to start the season successfully with a clear strategy. The decision to part ways with ten Hag was described as difficult but inevitable, particularly given the changes within the team. Fans and experts are excited to see who the next coach of Bayer Leverkusen will be and what impulses he can provide. Because the goal is clear: the club wants to get back on the road to success as quickly as possible.

It remains to be seen who will ultimately take over as coach, but one thing is clear: there is a bit of a breath of fresh air in the air at Bayer Leverkusen at the moment, and the next step on the path to success could soon follow.