Why Erik ten Hag Has Already ‘Annoyed’ Some of the Bayer Leverkusen Squad

Erik ten Hag has reportedly started his Bayer Leverkusen reign off by upsetting a fair few of his squad, including former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, who may already want out.

The Dutch coach has replaced Xabi Alonso at BayArena and will officially become the Bundesliga club’s new manager on July 1. It’s the 55-year-old’s first job since he was sacked by Manchester United last November amid a poor run of results.

Ten Hag was a polarising character during his time at United, with many questioning his personality and whether he could handle the Old Trafford hotseat. He wasn’t afraid to upset his players, including Jadon Sancho, whom he banished from the first team for not following his orders.

It looks as though the former Ajax tactician may be in for a similar ordeal at Leverkusen. His actions upon replacing Alonso have irked Xhaka, who can be tough to keep in line.

Ten Hag’s Lack of Communication Upsets Leverkusen Stars

Xhaka is thought to be considering his future

Ten Hag came out with some brilliant lines during his United tenure, including defending himself after an unlikely FA Cup win. He told reporters that if INEOS didn’t want him, he would “go elsewhere and win trophies”.

Leverkusen will be hoping he stays true to his word and delivers more silverware in his latest role, which has taken him to Germany, where he began coaching as an assistant at Bayern Munich. But he hasn’t started his spell with Die Werkself on the best note.

German outlet BILD (via Metro) reports that Ten Hag has taken a step back and given his new players “time and space” before reaching out to them. This approach has riled up some of the camp, who are licking their wounds after surrendering their Bundesliga title and losing their former boss, Alonso, to Real Madrid.

Xhaka was already pondering his future amid interest from AC Milan, and the Swiss midfielder is said to be further contemplating a potential summer exit. It took Ten Hag three weeks to make contact with the former Arsenal man, a move branded “bizarre” and perhaps pushing him closer to a departure.

The 32-year-old has been “perceptive” to Milan’s advances and could become the latest former Premier League star to arrive at the San Siro. Leverkusen want £34m but could agree on a deal at around £12.8m.

Xhaka values a manager with whom he can build a strong rapport, as evident during his time at Arsenal. He claimed that if it weren’t for Mikel Arteta, he would have left the Emirates way before his 2023 exit.

Raphael Varane Hinted At Ten Hag Communication Problems

The Ex-Man Utd star held a complicated relationship with Dutchman

Ten Hag enjoyed both highs and lows at United despite the disappointing manner of his dismissal. He steered the Red Devils to the Carabao Cup in 2023, their first trophy in six years, before overseeing an FA Cup triumph.

His first season in charge enthused fans, guiding his side to a third-placed finish and showing signs of implementing his Ajax philosophy, which has earned plaudits in 2019. He constructed a solid defence, which included one of the best post-Sir Alex Ferguson partnerships between Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.

Varane was a proven winner, having spent years at Madrid, previously winning major trophies in a dominant Los Blancos team. However, Ten Hag didn’t always rely on him amid his injury struggles. He was one of many, including Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he had spats.

The now-retired Frenchman delved into the differences between United and Madrid shortly after calling time on his career aged 32 (via ESPN):

Varane also admitted the pair shared a frosty relationship near the end of his Old Trafford spell and that it was “not good”. He was surprised that Ten Hag was offered a new deal in the summer of 2024, following an eighth-placed finish, and felt that conflict was part of his approach to coaching.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – correct as of 25.06.2025

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