Bayer Leverkusen announced on its official website on Monday that the club has officially appointed former Denmark national team head coach Kasper Hjulmand as its new head coach.

According to a Leverkusen's official statement, Hjulmand has signed on a two-year contract which runs until the summer of 2027. He will immediately replace former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who was recently sacked following a poor performances and allegations of poor attitude since the pre-season.

In addition, according to The Athletic's resident renowned German transfer journalist Raphael Honigstein, Leverkusen management had considered appointing former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou before deciding on the appointment of Hjulmand.

However, after carefully examining his tactical philosophy, Simon Rolfes, the Bundesliga powerhouse's sporting director, ultimately decided to reject Postecoglu because it differed significantly from the team's.

After his appointment was confirmed, Hjulmand, who was interviewed by the Bayer Leverkusen official website for the first time, said, "I have always considered Bayer Leverkusen a well-run, well-structured, and ambitious club. This impression has only deepened over the past few days."

"I am deeply honoured to be in charge of such a team. Having achieved such great success in the past, I am extremely motivated to lead Bayer Leverkusen and shape its future with experienced and dynamic new players."

About Kasper Hjulmand

Hjulmand, 53, was born on April 9, 1972, in Gandrup, Denmark. He is 1.92 meters tall and played as an amateur league defender until a serious knee injury forced him to retire early at the age of 26.

After retiring, Hjulmand began coaching at Lyngby's youth academy and was promoted to the role as Lyngby's first-team head coach in January 2006.

In July 2008, Hjulmand was appointed assistant coach at Nordsjælland and three years later was appointed head coach.

During his three-year spell at Nordsjælland, Hjulmand achieved widespread fame by unexpectedly winning the Danish Superliga title once with the club.

In May 2014, Hjulmand succeeded renowned German coach Thomas Tuchel as head coach of Mainz 05, but was sacked the following February due to poor results.

In December 2015, Hjulmand returned to Nordsjælland as head coach, further solidifying the club's position as a regular in the Europa League and attracting interest from Anderlecht.

In the summer of 2019, Hjulmand replaced veteran Norwegian coach Åge Hareide as head coach of the Denmark national team, a position he held until the end of 2024 European Championship where he resigned.

As head coach of the Danish national team, Hjulmand has coached De Rød-Hvide in 54 matches across all competitions, achieving 32 wins, 8 draws, and 14 losses, with a 59.26% win percentage.