German media reports have revealed that Dutchman Erik Ten Hag, the former manager of Manchester United, has entered the list of candidates to take over as coach of Bayer Leverkusen for the upcoming season, following Xabi Alonso's departure to coach Real Madrid.

According to the German newspaper "Bild", Ten Hag has shown openness to the idea of leading Leverkusen, but he is not the club's first choice at this point, as the club management has not yet finalized the identity of the new coach.

Spanish Cesc Fabregas, coach of Italian club Como, is considered the closest name to take on the role, as Leverkusen's management continues discussions with him despite the Como president announcing his continuation, while Fabregas has not completely closed the door.

It is worth noting that Bayer Leverkusen finished the last season in the Bundesliga in second place with 69 points, and is now looking for a coach to lead the team in continuing to compete both locally and in Europe.