Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen on Monday appointed Dane Kasper Hjulmand as coach, replacing Erik ten Hag, who was fired after just two league games in charge.
The former Denmark coach was appointed on a contract until 2027.
“It is an honour to be entrusted with such a team”, Hjulmand said in a statement, adding: “I’m motivated to shape the future of the club.”
His appointment ends a chaotic fortnight for Leverkusen, who sacked former Manchester United manager Ten Hag on September 1, just two games into the Bundesliga season.
Ten Hag succeeded Xabi Alonso, who led Leverkusen to an unbeaten league and cup double in 2023-24 – the club’s first Bundesliga title — before joining Real Madrid in the summer.
Simon Rolfs, Leverkusen’s sporting director, conceded that employing Ten Hag was a mistake, but that keeping him would have been “an even bigger mistake.”
Leverkusen, last season’s runners-up, earned only one point from their first two games.
Ten Hag responded in a statement, calling the dismissal “unprecedented” and “a complete surprise.”
Hjulmand is scheduled to lead Leverkusen’s home encounter against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
Hjulmand was one of several candidates to take over the vacant position, alongside one-time Barcelona coach and player Xavi, former Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, and Raul, the Spain striker who recently coached Real Madrid’s second team.
The 53-year-old resigned as Denmark coach in July 2024, having taken the side to the semi-finals of the Euros in 2021, where they narrowly lost to England. He also led Denmark to the last 16 of Euro 2024, where they were eliminated.
Hjulmand led Nordsjaelland to their only Danish title in 2011-12. He previously coached Mainz in the Bundesliga in 2014-15, but was fired after only one win in 13 games.
Leverkusen will begin their Champions League campaign against Danish champions Copenhagen after their match against Frankfurt on Friday.
