Erik ten Hag says Manchester United broke the promises that kept him in the job
Erik ten Hag has broken two years of silence on his Manchester United sacking in October 2024, telling The Athletic that the club's hierarchy reneged on commitments over loyalty, backing and transfers made during his Ibiza holiday. He also says United should not dismiss current boss Michael Carrick.
- Ten Hag's record: Won two trophies in two campaigns — the League Cup and the 2024 FA Cup
- Sacking: Dismissed on 28 October 2024, a day after a 2-1 loss at West Ham, with United 14th on 11 points from nine games
- The broken promise: He says United agreed in Ibiza not to sell Scott McTominay, then sold him to Napoli for €30.5m (£25.7m)
- On Carrick: "It is not the solution to dismiss him. 100 per cent not"
- His current role: Technical director of FC Twente, his boyhood club
Ten Hag, now technical director at FC Twente, spoke to The Athletic over two evenings in his hometown of Enschede. The first part of the interview covers his sacking, the Cristiano Ronaldo fallout, his failed pursuits of Harry Kane and Declan Rice, a "toxic culture" at the club and the takeover turbulence that swept through Old Trafford.
What was said
"I enjoyed every minute in Manchester United; I have such wonderful memories. It feels like I'm connected; I'm a fan. It's an amazing fanbase; they were always respectful to me."
"I really want United to win. I want them to be successful again. I want the club to be back where it once was."
"The leadership, you need their competence, you need the right strategy. What is your identity? What are the work methods? You need the right structures and quality people. Then you need time."
"It is not the solution to dismiss him. 100 per cent not. Fans will demand this if results don't improve - it is coming out from the stomach, from the emotion. You have to make rational decisions. He showed good coaching abilities at Middlesbrough and last season. So let him do his process. I think he has a good staff."
"I wouldn't go on with only one year left. So I said, 'I need an extra year and we have to do it together'. They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned. We spoke about the issues. But the promises, they didn't keep."
"That's why I got disappointed. In Ibiza, we agreed. I said, 'No selling Scott McTominay'. We would go aligned in the transfer window. I make an argument, a reason: we don't have scoring abilities. Scott brings scoring abilities and great mentality. He has United in all his veins. So when they bring up the subject, 'No'. And in the end they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed."
"I think it was quite weird to separate ways in that moment. All the data was showing we are good. OK, two poor games to Liverpool and Spurs (both 3-0 home defeats). We were starting the process. Let it progress; the gameplay is getting better."
"I can read situations; I see when people are not in Istanbul, all of a sudden something is going on. But still, after that summer, where you get apologies for their behaviour, and that we would go to build, it's surprising."
"We targeted the Europa League. And I think when you choose a manager, and he proves the last two seasons, winning trophies, getting into finals, then I don't think it's good club management to change... I did watch the final, but everything was changed."
"I don't have that ego, but I have the confidence. It's not about me; it is about the club. I can accept that new leadership is coming in and they want to appoint their own people, but just tell me."
"The takeover process brought a lot of noise, uncertainty with the people, and disruptions. So that was for the manager, for the coach, it was difficult to work, that's clear. It was very complicated."
"But after the first meeting (at Carrington), he started talking about the structure in the football club, how the manager should be head coach. I said, 'OK, let's discuss, but my contract is different'. I never heard anything. Then every press conference (at United), they ask me if the structure should be changed. I always want to cooperate in a club - you can't do this on your own. You need to find a strategy about philosophy, game model, about team profile, individual profiles. That is what I was used to, but with them there was no communication."
The most striking thread is the collapse of trust between manager and board. Ten Hag portrays a club that asked him to sign off on a rebuild, then sold a player he had explicitly vetoed leaving. His tone is not bitter so much as baffled, and the McTominay line lands hardest because it was a promise made to his face.
His defence of Carrick is equally pointed. Ten Hag argues that emotional decisions from the stands should not drive boardroom calls, and cites Carrick's work at Middlesbrough and last season as evidence of coaching ability. Coming from a man sacked in similar circumstances, it reads as a warning.
The numbers
- Two trophies won by Ten Hag in two campaigns — the League Cup and the 2024 FA Cup
- 3-0 — the scoreline in both home defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham he references
- 11 points from nine Premier League games — United's record when he was sacked
- 14th — United's league position at the time of his dismissal
- €30.5m (£25.7m; $33.7m) — the fee Napoli paid for McTominay
- 10 — McTominay's goals in Ten Hag's final campaign
- 2-1 — United's FA Cup final win over Manchester City that triggered the U-turn
- 15 months — gap between his League Cup win and the FA Cup triumph
Deal details
The interview revisits the transfer that soured Ten Hag's relationship with the board. United sold Scott McTominay to Napoli for €30.5m (£25.7m; $33.7m) to raise funds for the purchase of Manuel Ugarte. Ten Hag says he had vetoed the sale in Ibiza, arguing United lacked scoring ability and that McTominay brought both goals and mentality.
He also confirms he wanted Harry Kane and Declan Rice, and discusses pursuits of Brian Brobbey and Danny Welbeck. He did receive Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, two former Ajax players, but had only two months with them before his exit.
Why Ten Hag's McTominay story matters for Carrick
The tactical logic in Ten Hag's account is clear. He viewed McTominay as a rare source of goals from midfield in a squad short on scoring, and objected to selling him for a fee that funded Ugarte, a very different profile. Losing that goal threat stripped United of a route to results when the front line misfired.
That context explains his frustration at being judged on results. He cites the 3-0 home defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham but stresses United were still in every cup competition, and points to the 2-1 win at West Ham as "probably one of our best games". From his seat, the sample was too small to justify a change.
His argument about Carrick follows the same thread: give a coach time, structure and aligned recruitment, or you are measuring him on noise. Ten Hag framed it around competence, identity and work methods. Whether United's current leadership accepts that logic is the live question.
Talking points
- Ten Hag says United promised no McTominay sale, then sold him. If true, the board undermined the manager it had just asked to lead a rebuild.
- Should Carrick really be given a long run regardless of results? Ten Hag's defence invites accusations of managers shielding managers.
- Ten Hag wanted Kane and Rice. Both were attainable in theory, and United signed neither, which frames their recruitment failures.
- His claim that some inside the team already knew what would happen the day after the West Ham game is a serious allegation worth scrutiny.
What happens next
The second part of The Athletic interview lands on Wednesday, covering Ten Hag's offer to help United's data department, the development of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, and why Sevilla was the turning point in his reign. He also appears on the Talk of The Devils podcast. For Carrick, the results that will decide his future come next.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Erik ten Hag sacked by Manchester United?
He was dismissed on 28 October 2024, a day after a 2-1 defeat at West Ham, with United 14th in the Premier League on 11 points from nine games.
What did Ten Hag say about Scott McTominay leaving United?
He said United agreed not to sell McTominay during talks in Ibiza, then sold him to Napoli for €30.5m, which left Ten Hag "very embarrassed and disappointed".
Does Ten Hag want Michael Carrick sacked by Manchester United?
No. He said "It is not the solution to dismiss him. 100 per cent not" and argued Carrick should be allowed to continue his process.
Related Articles
Filed under: Manager News | LA Premier League Home
