Bayern in talks to hire coach Nagelsmann, say reports

BERLIN: Bayern Munich are in talks with RB Leipzig to tempt Julian Nagelsmann to take over as coach from Hansi Flick next season, but the German media claimed Sunday it could cost them 30 million euros.

According to Bild, Leipzig will demand such a sum to release the highly-regarded Nagelsmann as his current contract still runs until 2023.

Sport 1 also reported that negotiations have started and said the financial deal will be “significantly greater than 15 million euros”.

Flick himself is under contract in Munich until 2023 but he has already asked to be released at the end of this season due to disagreements with club management over transfer policy.

However, Flick and Bayern have yet to reach an amicable setlement.

Flick is considered to be the favourite to replace Joachim Loew as German national coach ater this summer’s European Championship.

“If we are to agree to Hansi’s wish then all parties must jointly find a solution which also satisfies Bayern,” Bayern Munich chairman Karl-heinz Rummenigge told Bild on Sunday.

Nagelsmann has never hidden his desire to one day coach Bayern, especially as he comes from the Bavaria region. Last season, he led Leipzig to the semi-finals of the Champions League and this season his side has replaced Borussia Dortmund as Bayern’s main title challengers.

Meanwhile, Leipzig’s sporting director Markus Kroesche will leave the club at the end of the season, the German Bundesliga side announced on Monday.

Leipzig said that Kroesche would leave ater “intensive discussions regarding the club’s future”.

“RB Leipzig and sporting director Markus Kroesche have mutually come to the decision to end their collaboration and terminate Kroesche’s contract by mutual agreement at the end of the 2020/21 season. The contract originally ran until 2022,” the club said in a statement.

The Bayern coaching job could be up for grabs ater current boss Hansi Flick said he wants to quit at the end of the current campaign. The 33-year-old Nagelsmann is widely tipped to take that job, with German media reports suggest Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch could take over at Leipzig.

Oliver Mintzlaff said Kroesche’s duties would be taken over by Florian Scholz and Christopher Vivell until the end of the season.

“I wish the club and the team all the best and thank everyone for the successful time together,” Kroesche said.