Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Dutch coach, Erik ten Hag as the club’s new permanent manager who would take over at the expiration of Ralf Rangnick’s interim tenure.

Ten Hag who is currently with Ajax signed up until June 2025 plus the option of an extra year that will run till 2026.

“Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Erik ten Hag as Men’s First Team Manager, subject to work visa requirements, from the end of this season until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.” The club said in a statement on its website.

Ten Hag said although it would be difficult to leave Ajax, his focus at the moment is ensuring the Eredivisie champions end the season on a high before his exit.

“It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead. I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve,” in his first interview as the new United first team manager.

“It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United.”

The club’s Director of Football, John Murtough, said: “During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.

“In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.

“We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer.”

Man United have struggled to find their bearing since the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson and have had seven coaches within the space of nine years. Their last outing ended in a 4-0 thumping by Liverpool and Ten Hag already has his work cut out for him.