A new favourite to succeed Thomas Tuchel could now emerge in FC Bayern Munich’s ongoing search for a coach. Now that Xabi Alonso has confirmed his loyalty to Bayer Leverkusen, the focus appears to be turning towards the Premier League.
The 44-year-old Roberto De Zerbi has moved into the focus of Bayern bosses. According to the English daily newspaper The Times, De Zerbi has emerged as the top favourite for the coaching job at Bayern. The Italian is highly regarded by FC Bayern’s management. Max Eberl in particular is said to be an admirer of the Brighton & Hove Albion coach.
While Ralf Rangnick, currently coach of the Austrian national team, has also been mooted as a possible candidate and is highly regarded in Munich, he is therefore not at the centre of current considerations regarding Tuchel’s successor. The rejection of Alonso has prompted Bayern to turn their attention to De Zerbi. Ex-Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann is another top candidate. However, there are also said to be doubts within the Munich management team about the current national coach. The DFB is also trying to retain the young coach beyond the upcoming home European Championships.
Coaching decision as early as April?
The urgency to find the ideal coach is palpable. Munich are not only facing a change in the coaching position. The team is also to be reorganised in order to restore the current balance of power in the Bundesliga. Head of Sport Max Eberl expressed his desire to make „the best decision“ as quickly as possible, ideally in April. However, he also emphasised: „Maybe it’s a coach who would be a perfect fit, but the framework conditions are so exorbitant that we say, okay, that might not be a good fit at all.“
FC Bayern’s search for a coach has become a complex matter in which many factors have to be taken into account. It’s not just about the big name or availability, but also about finding a coach who fits the club’s philosophy and accepts the framework conditions. Bayern do not want to make a „quick fix“, but still want to have enough time to shape the Bayern team of the future together with the coach.