Rumours about Thomas Tuchel’s future have reportedly led Bayern Munich to identify their “first choice” candidate to take his position.
The mid-table team Bochum surprised everyone by winning 3-2 against their out-of-form rivals, handing the Bavarians their third loss in as many days.
With just 12 games left in the Bundesliga season, Bayern is currently eight points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, and head coach Tuchel is under increasing pressure.
CEO of the team Jan-Christian Dreesen did publicly endorse Tuchel, stating that he will lead them in their Saturday matchup against RB Leipzig.
However, a rumour from Corriere dello Sport indicates that Zinedine Zidane, the former manager of Real Madrid, has already been contacted regarding taking over as the current Bayern manager.
There have reportedly been discussions prior to Bayern’s match against Lazio in the round of 16 of the Champions League, a match that ultimately ended in defeat.
Zidane is ‘unclear’ if he would take the position immediately, but he would be Bayern’s preferred choice to replace Tuchel in the summer.
The highly acclaimed Zidane has been connected to several teams since departing Los Blancos in 2021, including Manchester United and Juventus.
The Frenchman stated in a June 2022 interview with Telefoot that he intended to get back into management.
“Am I still able to contribute things as a coach? Yes, many things, or I think at least some,” he said.
“I want to continue with that career because I still have the desire – it is my passion. I am 50 years old, fulfilled, I’m happy, that’s the most important thing.”
Later on, Zidane would explicitly rule out a possible transfer to England, saying to L’Equipe: “If I go to a club, it’s to win. I say this in all modesty. That’s why I can’t go anywhere. For other reasons, too, I might not be able to go everywhere. Which ones? The language, for example. Certain conditions make things more difficult.
“When people say to me: ‘Do you want to go to Manchester?’ I understand English but I don’t fully master it.
“I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It’s a global context. Me, I know what I need to win.”
According to the Corriere dello Sport article, half of the first team players oppose Tuchel and the locker room at Bayern is “getting out of hand” under his leadership.
