Bayern Munich have confirmed that they will part ways with head coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
There has recently been speculation surrounding the 50-year-old's future at Allianz Arena, with the Munich giants losing their last three games in all competitions to Bayer Leverkusen, Lazio and Bochum respectively.
Tuchel was only appointed manager of Bayern in March 2023, and he led the club to the 2022-23 Bundesliga title, but the decision has now been made for him to leave this summer.
The perennial German champions currently sit second in the Bundesliga table, eight points adrift of leaders Leverkusen and in danger of seeing their record run of 11 consecutive titles come to an end this season.
"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 brief statement from Tuchel on the official Bayern website.
Bayern are facing the possibility of their first trophyless season since 2011-12, when they last missed out on the Bundesliga title, having already been knocked out of the DFB-Pokal, lost the DFL-Supercup final and lost the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie against Lazio.
"In a good, open discussion, we came to the decision to end our working relationship by mutual agreement in the summer," said Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
"Our goal is to pursue a new footballing direction with a new head coach for the 2024-25 season. Until then, every individual at the club is expressly called upon to achieve the maximum possible in the Champions League and Bundesliga.
"I also explicitly hold the team accountable in this regard. In the Champions League in particular, after losing 1- 0 in the first leg at Lazio, we are convinced we will reach the quarter-finals at a packed Allianz Arena with our fans behind us."
Bayern are currently on a run of three losses in a row, going down 3-0 at Leverkusen on February 10 before suffering the 1-0 defeat to Lazio in Italy in the first leg of their European tie.
Tuchel's team were then beaten 3-2 by Bochum in the Bundesliga last time out, which saw them lose more precious ground on a talented Leverkusen outfit.
Bayern now have another two Bundesliga games against RB Leipzig and Freiburg before hosting Lazio for the second leg of their last 16 Champions League clash on March 5.
Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso is understood to be Bayern's leading target to replace Tuchel, but the former midfielder is also being heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, as Jurgen Klopp prepares to leave.
Klopp has been tentatively linked to the soon-to-be-vacant Bayern post, but he has previously vowed to take at least a year away from management after stepping down from the Liverpool job this summer.
Zinedine Zidane, Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho, Roberto De Zerbi and former boss Hansi Flick are among the other early front-runners to succeed Tuchel at the Allianz Arena.
Barcelona are another major European club that will appoint a new manager this summer, with Xavi also standing down from his role at the end of the campaign.
There is also currently speculation surrounding the future of Bayern striker Harry Kane, with Chelsea and Manchester United allegedly both keen to bring him back to the Premier League this summer. body check tags ::
