Erik ten Hag on Ronaldo, Kane and Man United's broken promises

Erik ten Hag has given a detailed account of his time at Manchester United for the first time since the club dismissed him on 28 October 2024. In an interview with The Athletic, conducted in his hometown of Enschede and published on 20 October 2026, the Dutch coach said the club's leadership failed to honour its commitments to him. He also revealed that Harry Kane was the only striker he wanted, and claimed Cristiano Ronaldo let the squad down.

Ten Hag won two trophies across roughly two and a half years at Old Trafford: the League Cup and the FA Cup. His final game in charge was a 2-1 defeat to West Ham. He still describes himself as connected to the club and as a fan, and says he wants United back where they once were. He now works as technical director at FC Twente, the club he supported as a boy.

Which promises does Ten Hag say United broke?

Ten Hag says he was assured of loyalty, support and open communication, and that the club did not follow through. The interview does not name who made those assurances. The decision that hurt most was the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli, a player Ten Hag believed the club had agreed to keep. According to The Athletic, the sale helped fund the signing of Manuel Ugarte. Ten Hag argues that running a club of United's size needs competent leadership, a clear strategy and identity, the right structures and quality people, and then time.

Why didn't Manchester United sign Harry Kane?

Ten Hag says Kane was his sole centre-forward target in the summer the England captain left Tottenham, but the club turned the idea down. He says he never learned how that decision was reached, and that although he heard Kane was open to the move, he never discussed it with the player himself. Kane joined Bayern Munich that summer. ScoreLab data shows two Bundesliga titles among his honours, and 4 goals and 5 assists in 6 Bundesliga games this season.

What did Ten Hag say about Cristiano Ronaldo?

Ten Hag says Ronaldo let down both the team and him personally, because his plans had been built around the Portuguese forward. Before starting the job, he travelled to Portugal to talk those plans through with Ronaldo. Ten Hag claims Ronaldo missed training sessions and did not put in enough effort in training or matches. After a 4-0 defeat at Brentford in August, Ronaldo did not complete the punishment run Ten Hag ordered. The Athletic said it received no response from Ronaldo's representative.

Ronaldo, now 41, plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. ScoreLab data shows 4 goals in 7 games for him this season. The Portuguese Football Federation recently handed him a 30-day suspension after he left the national team camp without permission.

Why was the FA Cup win so important for Ten Hag?

Ten Hag says his best memory at United is the celebration on the Wembley pitch after the FA Cup final. According to The Athletic, the club had been assessing possible replacements before the final against Manchester City, and the 2-1 victory changed that course, keeping him in the job. He also praised United's supporters, saying they were always respectful towards him.

What does Ten Hag think of Michael Carrick?

Ten Hag firmly opposes sacking current United head coach Michael Carrick. He accepts fans may call for it if results do not improve, but argues such demands come from emotion and the club must make rational decisions. He says Carrick showed good coaching ability at Middlesbrough and last season, has a good staff, and should be allowed to see his process through. The Athletic said a second part of the interview would follow.