Liverpool favourite and former Man Utd boss candidates for Bayern Munich job after huge Thomas Tuchel decision

Liverpool’s pursuit of Xabi Alonso could be set to become a lot more complicated after it emerged that Thomas Tuchel will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for former midfielder Alonso – currently the manager of Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen – following Jurgen Klopp’s announcement last month that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

However, Alonso – who played for Bayern Munich for three years between 2014 and 2017 – could now be targeted to replace Tuchel at the Allianz Arena.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former Manchester United manager, has also been mentioned as a potential successor to the former Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss.

However, Solskjaer was only believed to be under consideration as an interim appointment in the event of Bayern acting on Tuchel during the season.

Tuchel’s position had come under huge scrutiny following a devastating loss of form, with Bayern Munich’s record of winning the Bundesliga title every year since 2013 under serious threat.

Thomas Tuchel to leave Bayern Munich, announcement due soon

And a report by Sky Germany has claimed Bayern Munich and Tuchel have agreed to part ways at the end of the season after “fair and positive talks.”

An official announcement is expected to be made shortly, with Tuchel set to leave the club a year ahead of the end of his contract in 2025.

Bayern currently trail Alonso’s Leverkusen side by eight points, having lost a potential title decider at the BayArena earlier this month.

Tuchel’s side followed that defeat with another loss away to Bochum on Sunday, with Bayern’s woes affecting their European campaign too.

The German side lost 1-0 away to Lazio in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie last Wednesday, with Bayern due to host the Serie A club in the return leg on March 5.

The news of Tuchel’s exit comes less than a year after he was appointed as Julian Nagelsmann’s replacement at Bayern Munich, at a time the club trailed Borussia Dortmund by a point at the top of the Bundesliga.

Tuchel led Bayern to a remarkable league success, winning the title on goal difference after Dortmund could only manage a draw at home to Mainz on the final day of last season.

Despite strengthening his squad with the signing of Harry Kane – the Bundesliga’s leading scorer this season with 25 goals, seven more than any other player – Bayern have lost five of their 22 league games, including a 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt in December, allowing Leverkusen to establish a healthy lead at the top of the table.

Two consecutive league losses at Leverkusen and Bochum have proved to be the tipping point, with Tuchel taking aim at his players both in private and public over recent weeks.

According to Sky Germany, Tuchel told his players following the Champions League defeat at Lazio: “You’re not as good as I thought, so I just have to adapt to your level.”

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