Bayer Leverkusen has officially appointed former Denmark national team coach, Kasper Hjulmand, as their new manager. The appointment, announced on Monday, brings to an end two weeks of leadership uncertainty at the German champions after the abrupt dismissal of Erik ten Hag just two games into the Bundesliga season.
Hjulmand, 53, has signed a contract that will keep him at the club until 2027. He expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, calling it a career-defining opportunity. “It is an honour to be entrusted with such a team,” Hjulmand said in a statement. “I’m motivated to shape the future of the club.”
The Dane will lead the team for the first time on Friday in a home match against Eintracht Frankfurt. He was reportedly one of several top candidates for the position, alongside names like Xavi Hernandez, Ange Postecoglou, and Raúl.
The decision to part ways with Ten Hag came as a surprise, as he was hired to build on the historic success of his predecessor, Xabi Alonso, who led the club to an unbeaten domestic double last season before joining Real Madrid. However, sporting director Simon Rolfes explained that continuing with a non-performing manager would have been a greater mistake. “Sometimes you must accept when something is not working, even if the decision was made recently,” Rolfes stated. Under Ten Hag, Leverkusen had only secured one point from their first two league matches.
Ten Hag himself described the club’s decision as “unprecedented” and “a complete surprise.”
Hjulmand’s impressive track record includes guiding the Danish national team to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and the last 16 of Euro 2024. Earlier in his career, he famously led FC Nordsjaelland to their sole Danish league title. His previous stint in the Bundesliga was with Mainz in the 2014-15 season, though it was short-lived.
Leverkusen leadership has tasked Hjulmand with implementing a bold, dominant style of play to maintain the club’s push for both domestic and European titles. Following Friday’s Bundesliga match, his first Champions League fixture will be a poignant assignment against Danish champions Copenhagen.
