Erik ten Hag has spoken of his "great honour" after being confirmed as Manchester United's new manager.
The Ajax boss has signed a three-year contract at Old Trafford until June 2025 with the option of an extra year. Ten Hag, who will take charge of the Red Devils at the end of this campaign, said upon his announcement: "It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead.
"I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve. It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United."
Football Director John Murtough, who has led the search, added: "During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team's attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.
"In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that. We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer."
The 52-year-old replaces interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who has presided over first-team duties since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November. Ten Hag has spent five years in Amsterdam, having preciously spent time at Twente, Utrecht and Bayern Munich, and is on course to win his third Eredivisie title with Ajax.
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Rangnick has heaped praise on the Dutch tactician, telling Sky Sports during United's process of finding his successor: "I don't know him to start with as a person, but I've seen how Ajax have developed since he's been there. I know about the work he did while he was at Bayern Munich and it's obvious he's one of the top coaches in Europe."
The acclaimed German coach later added in a news conference: "What I know about all the managers the club has spoken to so far are top managers, top coaches, and if this includes Erik ten Hag it is also true of him."
