Xabi Alonso led Bayer Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga trophy. plus cup title, the club also lifted the club up to the Champions League and created a wave of optimism among players and supporters. Then the charismatic winner’s skull left Germany, Real Madrid called. With Alonso, the key players who had given Leverkusen the great success of the last two seasons also disappeared. Out the door, the optimism of the supporters also disappeared. Erik ten Hag came in for 62 days before he was sacked. With less than two months left of the season, there are again signs of unrest.
Kasper Hjulmand replaced Ten Hag at the beginning of September, so this season must be said to belong to the Dane. Individual wins have come with Hjulmand, but after 1st and 2nd place in the Bundesliga with Alonso, the club is rigged for the Champions League. Hjulmand is struggling to reach his goal of Champions League qualification in his first season, four points behind 4th place with six games left to play.
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According to German Sky Sports , there have started to be signals of another change of coach. Here, Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler is the top candidate, if that happens. The 33-year-old was brought to Brighton from St. Pauli in 2024 and has done well, now six points behind 5th place in the Premier League.
If Leverkusen are to secure Hürzeler, this will be an expensive affair. Hjulmand has a contract until 2027 and will receive his compensation, but it is on the ball island that the big cost comes. Brighton have a solid buyout clause of 15 million euros on Hürzeler.
Ten Hag was paid €5 million for his sixty days as coach, Hjulmand is paid around €2 million if he is sacked early, plus €15 million for Hürzeler signing. The football life will probably not be quite the same at Leverkusen after Alonso.
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