Leverkusen welcomes Dane Hjulmand as their newest coach
Bayer Leverkusen Appoints Kasper Hjulmand as New Head Coach
After a turbulent period at Bayer Leverkusen, Kasper Hjulmand is set to take over as the club's new head coach. The Danish national will lead a restructuring at the German club following the departures of key players like Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah, and Granit Xhaka.
Hjulmand's appointment comes after the dismissal of Erik ten Hag, who took over as head coach on July 1st but was let go on September 1st. Reports suggest that personal issues between ten Hag and the players, as well as Bayer functionaries, contributed to his departure.
Hjulmand caused a stir as the national coach of Denmark at the 2021 European Championship, where they reached the semi-finals. He also led Denmark to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, his tenure as head coach at Mainz came to an end after just three-quarters of a year, following a dismissal in 2022.
Hjulmand has previous experience in the Bundesliga, having worked as head coach at Mainz eleven years ago. His last game as national coach was a 0:2 defeat in the round of 16 of the 2024 European Championship against Germany.
Bayer Leverkusen suffered a defeat in the Bundesliga opener against Hoffenheim and a draw in Bremen, with the assistant coaching team led by Rogier Meijer and Andries Ulderink taking over the training work during the interim.
The contract for Hjulmand to become the head coach of Bayer Leverkusen was signed and announced on Monday, September 8, 2025, with a term until June 30, 2027. The Danish national will be tasked with turning around the club's fortunes and restoring its sporting success, which has been lacking during ten Hag's tenure.
Denmark lost to England 1:2 in the semi-finals of the 2021 European Championship, and to Germany 0:2 in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup. Despite these setbacks, Hjulmand's coaching abilities have been widely praised, and he is hopeful of leading Bayer Leverkusen to greater heights in the future.
