How Bayern Munich could line up under the favourites to replace Tuchel | OneFootball

Bayern Munich will seek a new permanent head coach once this season concludes.

Following a string of disappointing results, which effectively ended their Bundesliga and Champions League hopes and left them trophyless for the first time since 2011/12, the club announced incumbent Thomas Tuchel will depart in June — rather than a year later when his present deal expires.

Immediately, the rumour mill went into full swing regarding who could replace Tuchel, all while the German fought to keep Bayern pushing forward in both the Bundesliga and Champions League:

Tuchel’s exit opens up one of world football’s preeminent coaching roles, and very few can fill it. There will be no shortage of candidates, and it just so happens many are readily available. Here, we look at the favourites to succeed Tuchel and what they can bring to Bayern regarding tactics and presentation.

Pep 2.0 (Roberto De Zerbi, 4/9)

Roberto De Zerbi has received plenty of plaudits for the style of play he’s brought to Brighton since joining from Sassuolo in 2022, not least from former Bayern manager and current ruler of the Manchester City empire Pep Guardiola, who the Italian has often been compared to.

“There is no team playing the way they play – it’s unique,” Guardiola said of De Zerbi. “I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn’t been for a long time. They deserve completely the success they have.”

Even in the face of Brighton winning just three times in all competitions since February 24th, De Zerbi continues to be showered with plaudits and reports linking him with Bayern have re-emerged in recent days, despite his insistence last month that he won’t be leaving the Seagulls.

Under De Zerbi, you could expect a more methodical, possession-based Bayern Munich side that would rely on their full-backs more for pace rather than wingers. Instead, wide players will act as extra playmakers, dovetailing off the movement of Kane and, ultimately, providing even more service for the England international.

And, most importantly now, he’s available. Brighton have confirmed that De Zerbi will be leaving the club at the end of the season, after the Seagulls’ final game against Manchester United. The statement released very much feels like it is with a view for De Zerbi to manage a new club, and his odds of taking charge at Bayern have been cut dramatically.

“Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans,” Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said.

“We have mutually agreed to end Roberto’s contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future.

“I am sure our fans will give Roberto and his staff a wonderful and fully deserved send off at the Amex before, during and after tomorrow’s match.

“In the meantime, I’d like to thank Roberto and his staff for all their hard work in the past two seasons. They all leave our club on good terms and with our very best wishes for the future.”

De Zerbi added: “I am very sad to be leaving Brighton, but I am very proud of what my players and staff have achieved with the support of everyone at the club and our amazing fans in the past two historical seasons.

“We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values.

“I have really enjoyed an intense and challenging two years working in the Premier League, not least competing in four major competitions this season. Leaving now provides me with time to take a break before deciding on my future plans.”

Better the devil you know (Hansi Flick, 4/1)

Before the De Zerbi news, Hansi Flick was favourite to take the Bayern job, returning to the dugout where he won the treble in 2019/20 during his previous year-and-a-half in charge. That treble alone makes it unsurprising that Flick would be linked with a move back to the Allianz Arena having left the club with an 83% win rate and an average of 3.0 goals per game during his previous stint, which he ended to take over the German national team.

Flick has been out of work since losing the national team job in 2023 and reports have suggested talks have already opened between Bayern and the 59-year-old.

During his previous stint in charge, Flick was known for allowing individuals to flourish in their favoured positions, with fast wingers using their pace on the wing, technical midfielders operating deeper, a central attacking midfielder combining with a No.9 and attack-minded full-backs bombing forward.

Bayern still have all the personnel to function in a similar way with many players still around from the Flick era. In fact, the addition of Harry Kane and emergence of the likes of Jamal Musiala and Aleksandar Pavlovic only make them more equipped to thrive under Flick once again.

Passing ships (Erik ten Hag, 12/1)

The ultimate plot twist of the summer would be Tuchel passing Erik ten Hag at the door as one leaves Bayern for Manchester United, while the other leaves Manchester United for Bayern.

Tuchel has, of course, been heavily linked with the Man Utd job currently occupied by Ten Hag, who is under increasing pressure as he struggles to qualify the Red Devils for European competition next season amid a string of disappointing results.

That has, in turn, increased Ten Hag’s odds of becoming the new Bayern Munich manager, with his Ajax-bred style of play perhaps attractive to the decision-makers at Die Roten.

In terms of personnel, Ten Hag’s Bayern could look very similar to how Flick would set them up. The difference would be the Dutchman’s higher focus on possession and outfoxing opponents with reactive tactics rather than simply allowing individual brilliance to cause havoc on counter-attacks or quick offensives.

This feels like an unlikely scenario, indeed. But Man Utd may see Tuchel on the market as being too good an opportunity to turn down, while Ten Hag likely still hasn’t lost enough credit to put him out of the running for a job the size of Bayern just yet.