Bayern Munich Contact PSG Boss Thomas Tuchel Over Vacant Manager Role
By Tom Gott
Bayern Munich have reached out to Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel over the possibility of succeeding former boss Niko Kovač.
Kovač was sacked on Sunday following a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, and a number of high-profile names have been linked with the vacant position at the Allianz Arena.
According to Sky Deutschland, Bayern contacted PSG to enquire about the availability of their manager, but they were told that Tuchel would certainly not be released until the end of the season.
However, PSG are believed to have left the door open to a potential summer exit, with the Ligue 1 champions waiting to judge the team's performance over the entire season before making a decision.
It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Bayern had drawn up a shortlist including Arsene Wenger, Ralph Rangnick, Erik ten Hag and Massimiliano Allegri, but not Tuchel or José Mourinho.
Sky did report on Monday that Ajax boss Erik ten Hag was Bayern's first choice, but he also would not be allowed to leave until the end of the season. As a result, it appears as though they may have turned their attention to Tuchel.
Clearly, convincing PSG to part with Tuchel would not be easy, although the idea of them sacking him at the end of the season is not too far-fetched.
They are still dominating Ligue 1, but PSG have already lost three games this season, which is not good enough for the Parisians. However, unless things go incredibly wrong, he is unlikely to be judged on his domestic form.
Instead, Tuchel's future could hinge on the team's performance in the Champions League. PSG are desperate to lift Europe's top prize, but they have consistently fallen short in previous campaigns.
This year, they have won all three of their group stage games, but Tuchel's side will need to maintain that form to ensure that PSG officials do not start considering his future.
As for Bayern, they are still without a permanent manager in the short term. Should they want either Tuchel or Ten Hag, they will need to find someone to take control on a temporary basis.