Bayern Munich have confirmed that they will part ways with their manager, Thomas Tuchel, this summer and are already on the hunt for his successor.
The Bundesliga champions are reportedly considering three high-profile candidates to take over the coveted position at the Allianz Arena.
According to sources, Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool midfielder and current manager of Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, is the top choice to replace Tuchel.
Bayern’s recent performances have put added pressure on Tuchel, as his side suffered a third consecutive defeat after their 3-2 loss to Bochum on Sunday.
With the club now eight points behind Alonso’s Leverkusen, Bayern’s primary plan was to assess the situation at the end of the season.
However, they announced their decision to part ways with Tuchel on Wednesday.
The club is already working on finding Tuchel’s successor, with Alonso being the preferred choice internally.
The Spaniard has already made a name for himself at Leverkusen and is the current bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool this summer.
Klopp himself has praised Alonso, referring to him as the “standout” manager from the new generation of bosses.
Bayern have also been considering Zinedine Zidane, the former Real Madrid head coach, as a possible candidate.
The Frenchman’s aura and experience are highly appreciated by the club, and he is immediately available.
Zidane has won the Champions League three times during his time at Real Madrid, as well as two La Liga titles.
Another candidate on Bayern’s radar is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former Manchester United boss.
Bayern’s sporting director, Christoph Freund, has been following Solskjaer’s path for years and knows him well.
However, there have been no concrete discussions about him taking over as an interim solution.
Solskjaer was sacked by Manchester United in November 2021, after spending nearly three years in charge, guiding them to a second-place finish in the 2020/21 season and reaching the Europa League final in 2021.
Currently, Solskjaer is employed as a UEFA technical observer, attending Champions League games and providing reports throughout the season.
Bayern’s decision on who will take over as their next manager will depend on careful consideration of all the options, as they strive to maintain their position as one of the top teams in Europe.
