Jens Berthel Askou has left Motherwell to become the new manager of French club Toulouse after a highly successful debut season in the Scottish Premiership.
Askou, 43, was appointed last summer to replace Michael Wimmer and guided the club to a fourth-place finish. Motherwell secured European qualification with a final-day victory over Hibernian, a result that capped a campaign in which the team briefly challenged near the top of the table.
His side’s expansive, attractive style and record-breaking defensive improvements drew wide praise and external interest, with the Dane even linked with other Scottish clubs during the season.
In a statement reflecting on his year at Fir Park, Askou thanked players, staff, board members, volunteers and supporters for their backing. He described the season as an “amazing journey,” saying the campaign offered a glimpse of what the club could achieve when ambitions are pursued strategically. He added that football can bring rare opportunities and that sometimes one must move on to seize them, leaving with fond memories and gratitude. He closed by sending his thanks to everyone involved and giving the club his well wishes.
Chairman Kyrk Macmillan confirmed that all current backroom staff will stay at the club and paid tribute to Askou’s contribution. Macmillan said the club had agreed from the outset that, should success follow, it would not stand in the way of the manager’s progression to the right opportunity. He described Toulouse as a top-level European appointment and wished Askou well.
Macmillan stressed that Motherwell will continue building on the foundations laid last season rather than starting over. He highlighted encouraging signs for the future: more than 20 contracted first-team players, European football to come, and home attendances up around 40% at Fir Park. Supporters will be updated on the managerial situation in due course.
Young players benefited under Askou’s guidance, with several improving noticeably during the campaign and others earning individual recognition. Elijah Just received a PFA Scotland player of the year nomination, and squad members like Tawanda Maswanhise made significant strides.
Prior to joining Motherwell, Askou served as an assistant at Copenhagen and Sparta Prague and held managerial roles in Sweden, the Faroe Islands and Denmark. Toulouse had been seeking a new head coach after Carles Martinez Novell left at the end of the season, and the French club have now appointed Askou to lead their next chapter.