Borussia Dortmund were humbled 4-2 by 17th-placed Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga amid rumours that former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could take over.

The German giants fell to their sixth defeat of the campaign after initially falling behind 3-0 at the break. Giovanni Reyna and Jamie Grittens scored two goals in the space of six minutes but were unable to revert the damage.

The result leaves them ninth in the table and 14 points off leaders Bayern Munich. It has been a tumultuous season for Dortmund since Nuri Sahin took over from Edin Terzic last summer.

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The side has only won one of their last six Bundesliga matches. "Shameful how we played," Sahin said after Dortmund's defeat on Tuesday evening.

"Not worthy of a club like Borussia Dortmund. From the first minute to the last, there's nothing else to say."

As the board start to look at possible managerial options, Ten Hag is reportedly of interest. Offering an update on X (formerly Twitter), journalist Florian Plettenberg said: "Erik ten Hag remains a potential candidate for the coaching position at Dortmund, providing support while Nuri Sahin continues to enjoy the board's confidence."

Although Ten Hag has frequented Signal Iduna Park as a guest of Dortmund advisor Matthias Sammer, Sky Germany has noted that there has been no official approach regarding the managerial vacancy so far.

Despite all the links, reports suggest Dortmund have no intention of replacing Sahin any time soon and he is still being backed by the club's hierarchy. Ten Hag meanwhile, left Old Trafford in October and was handed a £15million payoff by the club following his dismissal.

"Let me start by thanking you. Thank you for always being there for the club," he said in an open letter after departing United. "Whether it was at a game far away or a tough match at Old Trafford, your support has been unshakeable. The atmosphere at Old Trafford has always been electrifying, thanks to you. I want to thank you for giving me this feeling and for your support.

"I also want to thank the staff in every department of the club for their unwavering support in good times and bad. We won two trophies - achievements that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Of course, my dream was to bring more trophies to the cabinet. Unfortunately, that dream has come to an end. I wish all Manchester United fans nothing but success, trophies and glory. Your support and the warmth I received from everyone at the club helped me feel at home. Thank you for this chapter in my life."