Erik ten Hag became (in)famous at Manchester United for continuously going back for players he worked with before, but he’s started his Bayer Leverkusen tenure in the exact opposite way.
Not only have Bayer Leverkusen started their window by buying from Brentford (Mark Flekken) and Liverpool (Jarell Quansah), but they’re also determined to axe the one player Ten Hag has worked with before.
The axing is even more brutal because he sold him while he was at Old Trafford, and now he’s ready to sell him again at Leverkusen.
It looks like Erik ten Hag doesn’t rate him at all, since his contract was due to run until 2027.
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Matej Kovar close to leaving Leverkusen after Erik ten Hag appointment
Man Utd fans would remember urging Ten Hag to give Matej Kovar a chance when he had returned from a successful loan move at Sparta Prague.
Ten Hag, however, went for tried-and-tested, signing former Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter.
Kovar was sold to Bayer Leverkusen, where he impressed as the backup goalkeeper, winning the Bundesliga title in an undefeated fashion with Xabi Alonso.
United hold a buy-back clause for Kovar, a clause they might look into now because Kovar is close to leaving Leverkusen, as Florian Plettenberg reports.
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It was reported earlier that Ten Hag had put Kovar up for sale effectively as soon as he joined the club, but with talks advancing now, it presents an opportunity for United.
Kovar is an opportunity for Man Utd
Kovar hasn’t set the world alight at Leverkusen, but he’s been perfectly serviceable as the backup option, which is what United are seeking in the market this summer.
Onana seems set to stay, while the future of Altay Bayindir is uncertain ahead of the World Cup next summer which he’s aiming to be selected for.
Kovar is a cheap, homegrown option to stock up the goalkeeping ranks with a player who has been here before, and will probably be happy to play in a backup role.
In the best-case scenario, Kovar also challenges Onana for the No. 1 spot, and in the worst case, United have a solid backup who’s homegrown for cheap.
If it doesn’t work out, or United have an option in the youth ranks ready to take over, Kovar can easily be shifted again as well, due to the low transfer fee involved.
It is hardly a big favour by Ten Hag, since it reflects brutally on Kovar, but for United, this is as risk-free a signing as one can possibly get.