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Today’s exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and more
FC Bayern is once again the club that is drawing the attention of the football world to the Bundesliga this week. Because: The search for a successor to Thomas Tuchel could trigger a coaching domino in Germany but also in Europe. Premier League clubs and coaches are also affected.
Today’s top stories
- Truth of Bayern’s “contact” with Alonso and Liverpool’s talks with Xabi’s agent…
- Leverkusen have Real Madrid legend on shortlist of potential managerial successors for Alonso…
- Could one Championship boss be heading to the Bundesliga?
- And further updates on Hansi Flick, Jurgen Klopp, Sebastian Hoeneß and more!
BAYERN MUNICH
Thomas Tuchel will leave FC Bayern in the summer and his contract, which runs until 2025, will be terminated. The coach is not leaving Munich voluntarily and therefore does not want to take a break. Although he is also on the list at FC Barcelona, he is more interested in the Premier League. I’ve already reported that he always wanted to coach Manchester United. But what is surprising is that Thomas Tuchel could also imagine returning to Chelsea. His time in London was the happiest of his career. By now the new management should also have realised that parting ways with Tuchel was perhaps a mistake. The question is whether the relationship with Todd Boehly can be restored. My colleague Tobias Altschäffl shared a rumour in the current episode of my podcast “Bayern Insider” that Tuchel referred to the American as “Ted Lasso” during an emotional discussion. Lasso is the hero of the American comedy series of the same name, which has many fans. Whether Boehly found the comparison funny is at least doubtful.
The successors to Tuchel are now being discussed at FC Bayern. Xabi Alonso is still Munich’s dream coach. But – despite many reports – there were still no negotiations between Bayern and Alonso. What speaks for it: When Liverpool contacted Iñaki Ibáñez, Alonso’s agent, the agent immediately communicated the Reds’ interest to those in charge at Leverkusen. That didn’t happen in the case of Bayern. FC Bayern is still waiting for a signal from Alonso as to whether he can imagine a move to Munich. As soon as that happens, they would start negotiations.
Roberto De Zerbi from Brighton is also considered a candidate at FC Bayern. The new head of sports, Max Eberl, finds the Italian very interesting. However: In Munich they are not prepared for a coach to take a large team of assistants with him. That could be an obstacle. It is also a problem that de Zerbi does not speak German.
Another candidate from abroad: Roger Schmidt from Benfica Lisbon.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN
The bosses of Leverkusen also have to think about the case if Xabi Alonso can imagine a future at Liverpool or FC Bayern. Two coaches on the list sound particularly exciting: Sebastian Hoeneß, who is also on the list at FC Bayern. And Raul. He is Spanish like Alonso and a Real legend. Raul is currently coaching the Madrid second team. He understands German from his time at Schalke (2010 to 2012).
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Coach Edin Terzic (41) also has to fear for his job. Julian Nagelsmann is considered the candidate to succeed him. He is currently the German national coach. And this is where Jürgen Klopp comes into play. The farewell to Klopp naturally makes Reds fans sad, but in Germany it increases hope for Klopp to take over the national team. There is still no decision as to whether Julian Nagelsmann and the DFB will continue their cooperation beyond the European Championship.
Klopp would be the wish of almost all Germans. But since he wants to take a year off, there is now a new consideration in the association. Sandro Wagner, Nagelsmann’s current assistant, could bridge the year as an interim solution until Klopp takes over. There would still be a year until the 2026 World Cup. And Nagelsmann could return to club football. In addition to Dortmund, FC Barcelona is also said to be interested in Nagelsmann.
FC BARCELONA
Hansi Flick is no longer an issue at FC Bayern. Flick himself would also prefer to take on the job at FC Barcelona, where Xavi is leaving in the summer. The commitment of star consultant Pini Zahavi could pay off for Hansi Flick. The Israeli, who has his office in London, doesn’t just have the best contacts in the Premier League. One of his closest friends is Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona. Zahavi recently spent several days in Barcelona and met Laporta to talk to him about Flick. Flick is already learning Spanish. With Ilkay Gündogan, Marc-André ter Stegen and Robert Lewandowski, he knows some key players from the DFB and Bayern Munich. With Lewandowski he has a great advocate internally.
VFB STUTTGART
Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß is also a candidate at FC Bayern, as well as at Leverkusen. That’s why the people of Stuttgart also have to create a list of alternatives. Interesting from an English perspective: Northern Irish coach Kieran McKenna (37) from Ipswich Town is a candidate from the Championship.
VFL WOLFSBURG
Niko Kovac has been the coach at VfL Wolfsburg since 2022. It is very likely that he will have to leave in the summer despite having a contract until 2025. It’s a similar situation to Thomas Tuchel’s at FC Bayern. Ralph Hasenhüttl, who worked at Southampton, and Matthias Jaissle from al-Ahli are considered potential successor candidates.