Ten Hag alleges broken promises over Manchester United tenure

Erik ten Hag has alleged that Manchester United failed to honour commitments made to him before his dismissal in October 2024, while also criticising Cristiano Ronaldo's conduct during their time together. PA Media's report in the Guardian on Tuesday, October 20, attributes the comments to an interview with the Athletic.

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The former United manager said discussions about his contract had included assurances of support, loyalty and communication. He claimed those commitments were not fulfilled and said he had opposed Scott McTominay's transfer to Napoli. According to the report, Ten Hag described the sale as a decision taken without his consent that left him disappointed and embarrassed.

Ten Hag also alleged that Ronaldo failed to finish a run assigned to the squad after a 4-0 defeat at Brentford early in his tenure. He said he confronted the forward about it. While acknowledging Ronaldo's standing among football's leading players, the Dutchman said his selection decisions had to reflect the team's needs. These are Ten Hag's allegations, rather than independently established findings about those internal exchanges.

The Premier League's contemporary account of his departure records that United dismissed Ten Hag on October 28, 2024, after two and a half years in charge. His final match was a 2-1 loss at West Ham, which left United 14th. Ruud van Nistelrooy, then an assistant, took temporary charge while the club sought a permanent replacement.

Ten Hag had arrived from Ajax and finished third in his first Premier League season, collecting 75 points. United also won the EFL Cup in that campaign, ending a six-year wait for a major trophy. His second season brought an eighth-place league finish and elimination from the Champions League in the group stage.

That campaign nevertheless ended with a 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City at Wembley. United subsequently extended Ten Hag's contract until June 2026, according to the Premier League's account. The extension and the dismissal both came in 2024, providing the documented background to his newly reported criticism of the club's support.