After the rejection of several candidates, Bayern Munich would be reconsidering Thomas Tuchel's departure as coach and working on a solution to convince him to stay.
Tuchel should leave at the end of the season under a mutual agreement reached with the club in February.
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But finding a successor is proving more difficult than expected for Bayern.
German magazine Kicker, tabloid Bild and Sky TV reported on Wednesday that the club's sporting directors, Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, were negotiating with Tuchel to reverse their joint February decision.
There are several obstacles that would need to be overcome.
Tuchel was heavily criticized by Bayern power man Uli Hoeness ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, and Hoeness would need to give his approval.
Tuchel would also need to be convinced that he is not asked to stay as an interim measure before Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso or former Borussia Dortmund favorite Jürgen Klopp are persuaded to join in 2025. Klopp leaves Liverpool and wants to take a year off. .
Tuchel would want an extension to his original contract, which was supposed to last until 2025.
But Sky reported that the 50-year-old is open to the idea of staying. Bild on Wednesday published photographs showing Tuchel's agent Olaf Meinking speaking with Freund and Bayern president Jan-Christian Dreesen at the club's offices.
Bayern players would also prefer Tuchel to stay. German internationals Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer have reportedly come out in favor of him, while England players Harry Kane and Eric Dier would welcome it.
Many Bayern fans also signed a petition asking the club to keep Tuchel in charge.
Although Bayern will finish the season without a trophy for the first time since 2012, Tuchel led the team to the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they lost to European heavyweights Real Madrid 4-3 on aggregate.
Bayern had identified Alonso as their preferred candidate to replace Tuchel. But Alonso decided to stay at Leverkusen and subsequently led them to the Bundesliga title. Leverkusen are on a record 50-match unbeaten run in all competitions since the start of the season and have the German Cup and Europa League finals coming up.
Bayern was confident in the incorporation of Austrian coach Ralf Rangnick, but also rejected the club's proposal. Former Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann renewed his contract with Germany, Unai Emery opted to stay at Aston Villa and Bayern were also reportedly rejected when trying to sign former Wolfsburg coach Oliver Glasner from Crystal Palace of the Premier League, and the former coach of Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla. Julen Lopetegui.
Former Germany manager Hansi Flick was linked with a return, and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was another reported candidate, but the latest speculation suggests a U-turn could happen under Tuchel.
