The search for a new head coach is not going as planned for Bayern Munich. The Bavarian club had identified Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso as the ideal candidate to replace Thomas Tuchel. However, the Spaniard decided to stay at Leverkusen for one more season.
After Alonso’s snub, Julian Nagelsmann became Bayern’s top target to replace Tuchel. The German coach reportedly held talks with the club hierarchy in the past few days. It looked like a matter of when rather than if Nagelsmann would return to Bavaria. The Bavarian club’s pursuit of Nagelsmann didn’t end well. The German coach stunned them by signing a contract extension with DFB on Friday.
Bayern are back to the drawing board in their search for a new head coach. According to Sky Sports in Germany, Roberto De Zerbi and Ralf Rangnick remain on Die Roten’s list. Rangnick had ruled out a move to Bavaria, but the club chiefs are still considering him as an option. VfB Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness is another name under consideration despite signing a contract extension a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo in Spain made a big claim on Friday regarding Bayern’s next manager. The Spanish media outlet reported that talks between Zinedine Zidane and Bayern are at an advanced stage. L’Equipe in France also reported that Zidane is a name under consideration at Bayern for the head coach role.
ESPN, Sky Sports in Germany, and SportBild have reported that Bayern are not negotiating with Zidane. The French head coach is not the favourite to replace Thomas Tuchel at the Bavarian club.
Not True ❌ https://t.co/VnS6Aq8ioo
— Tobi Altschäffl (@altobelli13) April 19, 2024
Aston Villa’s Unai Emery has also been linked with a move to Bayern in the last month. The Spaniard is doing a fine job at Aston Villa. It remains to be seen if Die Roten will approach the Spanish coach to become the head coach in the summer.
Bayern wanted to have a deal in place for the new head coach by the end of April. Recent developments suggest that it will take much longer to resolve this situation. It looks certain that Rekordmeister will not get their top target after facing disappointments with Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann.
Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel has squashed suggestions of him continuing beyond the current campaign. While talking to the media on Friday, Tuchel insisted that there is still an agreement with Die Roten to part ways at the end of the season. The former Chelsea boss wants to end his turbulent tenure in Bavaria by winning the Champions League.