If Bayern Munich decides to break company with Thomas Tuchel this summer, Xabi Alonso and Zinedine Zidane are top targets; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former manager of Manchester United, is a surprising potential temporary option should the German team be forced to make a change mid-season.
According to Sky in Germany, Xabi Alonso, a target for Liverpool, is the front-runner to replace Thomas Tuchel should Bayern Munich decide to break ways with the manager this summer. They are also considering Zinedine Zidane and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
After Bayern’s 3-2 setback at Bochum on Sunday, which dropped the German powerhouses to eight points behind Alonso’s Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, the pressure has mounted on Tuchel.
In addition, it was their third consecutive loss following last week’s 1-0 loss against Lazio in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match.
With 12 years without a championship, Bayern’s basic strategy is still to finish the season with Tuchel and then evaluate the circumstances.
Following the humiliating loss at Bochum, the management of Bayern instantly chose to retain Tuchel, and the former manager of Chelsea and PSG did not consider quitting.
On the other hand, Alonso is seen internally as the best option in the event of a summer separation from Tuchel, and work is underway on a prospective replacement.
After making an impression at Leverkusen, the former Liverpool midfielder is the favorite by bookies to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield this summer.
The Spaniard has since been praised by Klopp as the “standout” manager among the current breed of managers.
In the last several hours and days, Bayern has also been considering former Real Madrid head coach Zidane as one of their top targets.
At this point, nothing is official, but Bayern value the Frenchman’s charisma and expertise even though he is readily accessible.
The 51-year-old, who has been unemployed since leaving Real Madrid in May 2021, managed the Spanish team for three seasons and won two La Liga titles. He also won the Champions League three times.
Should they be obliged to make a change before the end of the season, Bayern has also been considering Solskjaer, the former manager of Manchester United, as a possible stopgap option.
Christoph Freund, the sporting director of Bayern Munich, has been closely following Solskjaer’s career for many years. There haven’t, however, been any formal conversations around that possibility as of yet.
Solskjaer hasn’t had a job since Manchester United fired him in November 2021. He led United to second place in the 2020–2021 season and lost to Villarreal in the 2021 Europa League final during his nearly three years in command at Old Trafford.
Currently working for UEFA as a Technical Observer, the 50-year-old attends Champions League matches and writes reports all season long.
