Alonso led Leverkusen to the 2023-24 Bundesliga title, finishing the season unbeaten. The team's sporting director, Simon Rolfes, praised Ten Hag for his impressive track record, which includes three league titles and two domestic cup wins during his time at Ajax from 2018 to 2022. Rolfes also highlighted Ten Hag's success at Manchester United, where he achieved notable results despite facing challenges.

Ten Hag expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, stating that Bayer Leverkusen is one of the top clubs in Europe and praising the club's management for their impressive discussions. He aims to build on the team's recent success and develop an ambitious squad, which will face the task of replacing departing players Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz in the coming months.

Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga this season, 13 points behind champions Bayern Munich. Ten Hag's appointment marks a new chapter for the team, and he will look to make a positive impact in his first season at the helm.