Manchester United made contact with one of Germany’s most exciting top-tier coaches as they considered the future of Erik ten Hag this summer, according to a new report.
It seemed like Ten Hag’s future was in jeopardy after Manchester United recorded their worst-ever finish in the Premier League. Just a day before the FA Cup final, reports indicated he would be dismissed even if he won the match. Against the odds, United triumphed 2-1 over Manchester City, with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Following this victory, Ten Hag signed a contract extension after the club considered several candidates, including Thomas Tuchel, during a widely discussed post-season review.
Before the FA Cup final, Fulham manager Marco Silva met with club executives, and other potential candidates like Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Frank, and Kieran McKenna were also approached. Months later, another name surfaced: reports suggest United contacted Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeneß to see if he would be interested in replacing Ten Hag. BILD reporter Christian Falk noted that United officials wanted to know about Hoeneß’s availability and even inquired about potential transfer arrangements. However, Hoeneß declined their interest after an impressive season, leading Stuttgart from relegation struggles to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga, just one point ahead of Bayern.
In April, Hoeneß dismissed rumors about leaving Stuttgart for the Bayern job, stating he would remain with the club. “You can be absolutely sure that I will also be coach of VfB Stuttgart next year,” he said. “If I had considered a change, I wouldn’t have extended my contract.” He emphasized his commitment, saying, “I am here out of conviction because I believe we can build something together. From my perspective, nothing has changed.”