Fabregas and Ten Hag have equal chances
Ten Hag Set to Coach: Dutchman a Candidate for Xabi Alonso’s Team
Kicker reports that claims suggesting Cesc Fabregas is the sole candidate to replace Xabi Alonso are untrue, and Erik ten Hag has an equal chance as Fabregas.
According to “Varzesh3,” Xabi Alonso officially announced yesterday that he will leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the current season. While all signs pointed to him joining Real Madrid, Sky Sports also confirmed this morning that the speculations are true, and Alonso will definitely be Real Madrid’s coach next season.
While everyone is talking about Xabi taking over Real Madrid, the debate in Germany has heated up about how Bayer Leverkusen plans to fill the void left by this charismatic coach. Today, some media claimed that the only candidate Leverkusen’s management has in mind to replace Alonso is none other than Cesc Fabregas.
However, Kicker refuted these reports, stating that Leverkusen currently has two main candidates: Cesc Fabregas and Erik ten Hag. Kicker says both candidates have equal chances, and Leverkusen has yet to decide which one is the better fit.
The mention of Erik ten Hag’s name has upset Bayer Leverkusen fans. Given his poor performance at Manchester United, they find it hard to believe that Leverkusen has considered him as a replacement for Xabi.
Kicker revealed one reason for Leverkusen’s interest in Ten Hag: The Dutch coach has agreed to a significantly lower salary than what he earned at United. Ten Hag made €12 million at Old Trafford but has told Leverkusen’s management that he is so interested in their project that he is willing to work for a fraction of that amount.
On the other hand, Ten Hag is currently without a team, while Cesc Fabregas has a contract with Como until 2028, and Leverkusen would have to pay a substantial transfer fee to the Italian club to secure his services.
Kicker further noted that no matter how much Ten Hag reduces his salary demands, his market value will not drop below a certain threshold. Meanwhile, Fabregas’s normal salary is much lower than Ten Hag’s, and ultimately, the amount Leverkusen would have to pay to hire either would be similar. Now, the final decision rests with the sporting director, and it remains to be seen whether Simon Rolfes will propose Ten Hag or Cesc Fabregas as the primary candidate to the club’s management.
