Bayern Munich have reportedly been in touch with Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso's representatives to register their interest in him becoming the club's new head coach at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Thomas Tuchel will leave his role as Bayern manager at the end of the season, with the club looking to pursue a different direction.
"We have agreed that we will end our working relationship at the end of this season. Until then, I will of course continue to do everything I can with my coaching staff to achieve maximum success," read a statement from Tuchel on the official Bayern website.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has since been linked with the role, but his agent has insisted that the German will not take another position until at least the middle of 2025.
According to German journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bayern have already been in touch to register their interest in Alonso, with the Spaniard viewed as the club's Plan A for the summer.
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Alonso, as expected, is said to have made it clear to Bayern that he is 100% focused on Leverkusen and will not hold any direct discussions until the end of the campaign.
Liverpool are also believed to have identified the former midfielder as their number one target to replace Klopp as manager at Anfield this summer.
The 42-year-old was in charge of Real Sociedad B between 2019 and 2022 before moving to Leverkusen, and his team are still unbeaten in all competitions during a remarkable 2023-24 campaign.
Die Werkself sit top of the Bundesliga table, eight points ahead of second-placed Bayern, ahead of Friday's home game with Mainz 05.
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Leverkusen are also chasing success in the German Cup and Europa League this season, with Alonso overseeing what could be a historic campaign for the club.
Jose Mourinho, Zinedine Zidane and Antonio Conte are also allegedly in the frame, with Bayern considering all options to replace Tuchel this summer.
Alonso is said to be comfortably the leading target, although the presence of Liverpool in the race secure the Spaniard's coaching services highly complicates a move.
The former midfielder is regarded as the favourite for the Liverpool job, with Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi thought to also be in the frame.
At the end of last month, Alonso said that he was "really happy" at Leverkusen but refused to rule out replacing Klopp as head coach at Anfield this summer.
Matt Law
