Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could be appointed by Borussia Dortmund this week if the Bundesliga side lose their Champions League clash with Bologna on Tuesday night, according to a report in Germany.
Last season was defeated Champions League the finalists have struggled for consistency since Nuri Sahin took over in the summer and results have dropped significantly in recent weeks. The club won just one of their last five games before the winter break and have started 2025 with three consecutive defeats.
It fell into the lower half of the Bundesliga table with more than half of last season, Dortmund are still well positioned to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The side from the Ruhr region face Bologna in their penultimate game of the league stage this midweek and if Sahin's side lose to the Italian strugglers – who are yet to win a European game this season – the current manager may be forced to leave, according to Sky Sports Germany.
The report claims that former United boss Ten Hag is considered to be a “serious candidate” for the position. The Dutch coach is no stranger to German football having spent two years as a coach Bayern MunichHis second team between 2013 and 2015.
Ten Hag has been polluted regularly following Dortmund's games this season as he remains out of work since being sacked by United at the end of October.
While Ten Hag's immediate availability is a factor that works heavily in his favour, Dortmund could turn to a temporary solution before trying to lure Sebastian Hoeness away from Stuttgart. The impressive new manager guided his side to a surprise second-place finish last season and has returned them to the top four of the division once again.
Stuttgart are unlikely to let Hoeness leave mid-season, but the 42-year-old is thought to have a release clause in his contract worth between €7-8m, which could be activated in the summer.