Manchester United extends manager Erik ten Hag's contract until 2026

Manchester: Manchester United have extended manager Erik ten Hag's contract until June 2026. The Dutchman was previously scheduled to stay with the club till the end of the 2024/25 season. Under his leadership, United won two trophies in two seasons but failed to lift the Premier League title. He had joined United from Ajax in 2022.

"I am very pleased to have reached an agreement with the club to continue working together. Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined," the 54-year-old said in a statement. "However, we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead to reach the levels expected of Manchester United, which means challenging for English and European titles. In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision for reaching those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together," he added.

During his first season, United finished third in the Premier League season including the Carabao Cup title to end the club's six-year wait for silverware.

However, the Dutchman's second season was far more challenging as United advanced out of the Champions League group stages and ended eighth in the Premier League.

United's 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May paved the way for the extension of the Dutch manager's tenure.

Dan Ashworth, Manchester United sporting director, said: "With two trophies in the past two seasons, Erik has reinforced his record as one of the most consistently successful coaches in European football.

"While the club’s review of last season highlighted areas for improvement, it also reached a clear conclusion that Erik was the best partner for us to work with in driving up standards and outcomes.

"This group of players and staff have already shown they are capable of competing and winning at the top level; now we need to do it more consistently. With our strengthened football leadership team now in place, we are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with Erik to achieve our shared ambitions for this football club," he added.