Club Brugge have dismissed head coach Nicky Hayen, just weeks after he was linked with the managerial vacancy at Celtic. The Belgian side confirmed the departure on Tuesday, with Ivan Leko appointed as his replacement.
Hayen, 45, had been a rumoured contender to replace Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park. However, the Scottish club ultimately appointed Wilfried Nancy from Columbus Crew. Hayen had previously addressed the speculation, acknowledging he was no stranger to being considered for other roles.
Despite leading Brugge to the Belgian Cup last season and a memorable 9-1 aggregate victory over Rangers in the Champions League play-offs, Hayen's side have struggled this term. They sit 26th in the Champions League standings with four points from five matches and are five points adrift of Belgian Pro League leaders Union Saint-Gilloise after 17 rounds.
Club Brugge thanked Hayen for his efforts and confirmed Leko, a former Brugge player and coach, will take over from KAA Gent. Leko previously won the Belgian title and Supercup with Brugge between 2017 and 2019.
