Report: Ten Hag agrees to replace Alonso as Leverkusen boss

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday to succeed Xabi Alonso as manager, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein.

United fired Ten Hag in October after a run of just four wins in 14 matches, but he quickly emerged as a top candidate to replace Alonso when the Spaniard announced he was leaving Leverkusen earlier this month.

The club ended the Bundesliga season a distant second to Bayern Munich a year after winning a domestic double with an unbeaten league record.

With Alonso reportedly joining Real Madrid and key starters Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong on their way to Liverpool, Ten Hag will find a team in need of rejuvenation.

The Dutchman coached Bayern's youth side between 2013 and 2015, giving him a firm understanding of German football at the grassroots level. Before his time at United, which yielded two domestic trophies, Ten Hag led Ajax to three consecutive Eredivisie titles and a Champions League semifinal appearance in four-and-a-half seasons.