Erik ten Hag was left stunned by his dismissal at Manchester United, with the club having already secretly agreed personal terms with Ruben Amorim before his final match, according to reports. The Dutchman was sacked after a controversial 2-0 defeat to West Ham in late October 2024, a decision that came despite his previous trophy wins and a contract extension triggered just months earlier.
United's hierarchy, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, had initially opted to retain Ten Hag in the summer of 2024 after holding talks with Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi. However, a poor start to the season prompted a rethink, and by October 25, Amorim had agreed personal terms in calls with CEO Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox. This occurred while Ten Hag and the squad were travelling to London for the West Ham fixture.
Ten Hag, 55, believed he would be given more time under the new ownership after delivering silverware in both full seasons. He had secured an eighth-placed Premier League finish and faced criticism over recruitment, but his reaction to the sacking was one of shock when Berrada summoned him to Carrington on October 28.
After taking a break from management, Ten Hag returned at Bayer Leverkusen to replace Xabi Alonso at the start of the 2025-26 season. His tenure lasted just three games, marking a brief and unsuccessful comeback. Amorim, meanwhile, was officially appointed at United in November 2024 and has now been in charge for nearly a year.
