Borussia Dortmund name former Bayern Munich boss as their new manager – as Erik ten Hag misses out on the role
- Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund have officially announced new manager
- Erik ten Hag had been linked with vacant role after being sacked by Man United
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Borussia Dortmund have officially unveiled former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac as the club’s new manager.
The club have been in search of a new head coach since Nuri Sahin was sacked following a dismal start to the campaign last week.
After leading the club to the Champions League final last season, Sahin endured a difficult start to the season, with three consecutive league defeats leaving the club in the bottom half of the Bundesliga.
After Sahin was sacked this month youth coach Mike Tullberg took charge of the club’s draw with Werder Bremen on Saturday, and their win over Shakhtar Donetsk in Europe.
Erik ten Hag had been heavily linked with the role, with the former Manchester United boss understood to have held talks with the club.
However, Ten Hag’s desire to wait until the summer before returning to the dugout reportedly left him out of contention.
Borussia Dortmund have officially appointed Croatian Niko Kovac as the club’s new manager
The 53-year-old previously managed rivals Bayern Munich, and was most recently in charge at fellow Bundesliga side Wolfsburg
Erik ten Hag had held discussions over the role, but is intent on waiting until the summer to return to the dugout
Instead, Dortmund moved for Kovac, who played for several Bundesliga clubs before embarking on a career in management upon retiring from football in 2009.
A statement from the club revealed the 53-year-old has agreed a deal that will keep him at the Signal Iduna Park until June 2026.
After spells with the Croatian national team and Eintracht Frankfurt, Kovac became Bayern boss in the summer of 2018.
In his first season with the Bavarian giants Kovac won a league and cup double, before he was sacked following a poor start to his second campaign.
From there Kovac spent two years in Ligue 1 with Monaco, and led the Monegasque club to the final of the Coupe de France in his first season in charge.
Kovac was most recently in charge of fellow Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg before he was sacked by the club in March 2024.
Despite victory on Wednesday seeing the club qualify for the Champions League knockout phase playoffs next month, Dortmund currently sit 11th in the Bundesliga, five points adrift of the European places.
