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After rejections from various candidates, Bayern Munich are reportedly reconsidering Thomas Tuchel’s departure as coach and working on a solution to convince him to stay.
Tuchel is due to leave at the end of the season according to a mutual agreement made with the club in February.
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But finding a successor is proving harder than anticipated for Bayern.
German media outlets Kicker magazine, the Bild tabloid, and Sky TV all reported on Wednesday that the club’s sporting directors Max Eberl and Christoph Freund were negotiating with Tuchel to reverse their joint decision from February.
There are several hurdles that would need to be overcome.
Tuchel was heavily criticised by Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeness before the Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid, and Hoeness would need to give his go-ahead.
Tuchel would also need to be convinced that he’s not being asked to stay as a stop-gap before Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso or former Borussia Dortmund favourite Jürgen Klopp could be persuaded to join in 2025. Klopp is leaving Liverpool and wants to take a year’s break.
Tuchel would want an extension of his original contract, which was supposed to run to 2025.
But Sky reported that the 50-year-old coach is open to the idea of staying. Bild published photos Wednesday showing Tuchel’s agent Olaf Meinking speaking to Freund and Bayern chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen at the club’s offices.
Bayern’s players would also prefer Tuchel to stay. Germany internationals Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer have reportedly spoken in his favor, while England players Harry Kane and Eric Dier would welcome it.
Many Bayern fans also signed a petition calling on the club to keep Tuchel in charge.
Though Bayern will finish the season without a trophy for the first time since 2012, Tuchel did lead the team to the Champions League semifinals, where they lost to European heavyweights Real Madrid 4-3 on aggregate.
Bayern had identified Alonso as their preferred candidate to take over from Tuchel. But Alonso decided to stay with Leverkusen and subsequently led them to the Bundesliga title. Leverkusen are on a record 50-game unbeaten run across all competitions since the start of the season and have the German Cup and Europa League finals to come.
Bayern were confident that Austria coach Ralf Rangnick would join, but he turned down the club’s approach, too. Former Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann extended his contract with Germany, Unai Emery opted to stay with Aston Villa, and Bayern were also reportedly rebuffed trying to sign former Wolfsburg coach Oliver Glasner from Premier League club Crystal Palace, and former Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui.
Former Germany coach Hansi Flick was linked with a return, and Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag was another reported candidate, but the latest speculation suggests a U-turn with Tuchel could happen.