Ten Hag Returns To Twente As Technical Director

• Erik ten Hag will join FC Twente on Feb 1, ahead of taking over from Jan Streuer next season
• He has signed a contract through to the summer of 2028
• Ten Hag called it “wonderful and special” to return to the club he supported as a boy

Erik ten Hag has been appointed technical director of FC Twente, returning to the Dutch club where he started his coaching career.

Twente confirmed Ten Hag will join on Feb 1, before taking over the role from Jan Streuer, who is due to retire, next season. He has signed a deal through to the summer of 2028.

Ten Hag, the former Ajax and Manchester United manager, most recently had a brief spell at Bayer Leverkusen, taking over in May 2025 and leaving in September after three matches.

In England, Ten Hag spent two years at Manchester United, winning the FA Cup and League Cup, before being sacked in 2024 after a poor run of results.

Ten Hag said his return carries deep personal meaning.

“I think it’s wonderful and special to return to FC Twente, where I’ve been a supporter at Het Diekman since I was a young boy,” Ten Hag said in a statement.

“My football and coaching careers began here. With my experience in youth development, team building, and elite sports culture, I want to strengthen FC Twente’s technical foundation together with the Supervisory Board, management, and staff, so the club can sustainably realize its potential as a regional flagship.”

FC Twente general manager Dominique Scholten said Ten Hag’s history at the club and his broader record made him the right fit.

“Erik has an incredible track record in football, and his bond with FC Twente has always remained very strong,” Scholten said.

“At FC Twente, he served as youth coach, head of academy, and assistant coach, and subsequently as head coach and technical manager at renowned clubs, both nationally and internationally.

“We’ve been in regular contact over the past few months, and our conversations quickly revealed a strong ambition to further develop FC Twente.”