Motherwell manager Ascu has confirmed his move to Toulouse this summer, with the contract length undisclosed.

Toulouse officially announced on Thursday that they have reached a coaching agreement with 43-year-old Motherwell manager Jens Besser Ascu. He will take over as Toulouse's first-team manager after Carles Martinez Novell's contract expires this summer.

Toulouse has not yet disclosed Ascu's specific term of office. According to a previous report by the Scottish Herald, they have paid Motherwell approximately €1 million in severance pay.

Ascu began his coaching career in 2015 and is considered an outstanding representative of Denmark's young generation of coaches. He has served as the head coach of Wensussel, HB Tørsport, Horsens, and IFK Göteborg, leading his teams to win the Faroe Islands Super League title and the Faroe Islands Cup.

In addition, Ascu has worked as an assistant coach at Skaf, Tisted, Vensüsseldorf, Sparta Prague, and Copenhagen. This experience earned him valuable opportunities to assist numerous head coaches, including Joachim Matthäusson, Jacob Michelsen, Bo Zinke, Eric Rasmussen, Lars Friss, Jacob Nesterup, and Stefan Madsen, and ultimately helped Copenhagen win the 2024/25 Danish Superliga title.

In July 2025, Ascu officially took over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. He has since delivered an excellent record of 23 wins, 13 draws, and 11 losses, leading the team to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League and securing a European qualification spot for next season.

Regarding Ascu's arrival, Toulouse President Olivier Klórec stated in a press release: "We are delighted to welcome Jens to Toulouse Football Club. After several rounds of discussions, we have found him to be a coach who is a perfect fit for the club's development direction. His coaching experience and understanding of sports and humanity have further convinced us that he is the right person to lead Toulouse into a new phase."

“This appointment reflects our commitment to a long-term, ambitious, and sustainable plan that relies on teamwork and the development of young players. Jens has the ability to drive this process and lead the club into a new phase.”

Toulouse Sporting Director Victor Bezzani added: "Today, we are very honored to welcome Jens to Toulouse Football Club. From the beginning, he has been considered the ideal candidate to best fit the club's philosophy and aspirations."

“Jens possesses strong leadership and a dynamic, highly entertaining style of football, while also aligning with Toulouse’s core values: courage, ambition, resilience, and trust in young players. His extensive experience in player development, close collaboration with the youth academy, and ability to consistently exceed expectations make him our ideal choice. Beyond football, his personal qualities and interpersonal skills perfectly align with the culture we hope to build within the club.”

Ascu himself stated: "After fruitful discussions with Sporting Director Victor Bezzani and Club President Olivier Klorek, I am delighted to join Toulouse Football Club. The club's talent pool, mature and well-structured organization, sound and coordinated strategic planning, excellent staff, and ambition to constantly push the limits all contributed to my decision to join Toulouse."

“Carles Martinez-Norville’s excellent work has established the team in Ligue 1. I believe we have a bright future and am confident that we have the opportunity to challenge for higher goals in the coming years. I also want to thank everyone at Motherwell for providing me with a wonderful environment to grow and improve my coaching skills, which has given me the opportunity to join a special club in one of Europe’s top five leagues. I can’t wait to get to know everyone at the club, adapt to French culture and language, and accelerate the building of a dynamic and attacking team that ignites the passion of the fans and players.”

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