Bayern Munich have set their sight on Ralf Ragnick, following Xabi Alonso’s decision to remain as boss of Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso has been courted by the Bavarians in recent months, due to his exploits at Bayer Leverkusen.
Xabi Alonso is on the verge of guiding the Bay Arena side to their first German Bundesliga title in history, and he could also etch his name in history by leading them to the treble, with the Europa League and DFB-Pokal still up for grabs.
His tactical brilliance this season has caught the interest of several clubs in Europe, most notably; Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Alonso’s Bayern Leverkusen remain unbeaten this campaign across all competitions, as they are yet to taste defeat after 34 matches played this term.
Interestingly, they also showed superiority over Bayern Munich in one of those games, winning 3-0 in February 2024, at the Bay Arena.
Reports indicate that Bayern Munich had informed Xabi Alonso of their decision to appoint him as their next boss, with Thomas Tuchel exiting the club at the end of the season.
However, Alonso came out in a presser on Friday, March 29, 2024, to tell the world of his decision to remain with Bayern Leverkusen.
This has put the Bundesliga champions in a tight corner and they have begun the search for alternatives.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is one name that they are considering, however, his inability to speak German is apparently why Bayern Munich aren’t keen on his services.
De Zerbi, 44, who is from Italy, is only limited to English and his mother tongue, Italian, and such, he is not top of their recruitment list.
German is not absolutely necessary for the Bayern Munich boss but it is said to be desired by administrators of the club.
Why is Ralf Ragnick Bayern Munich’s go-to option?
That’s why Ralf Ragnick appears to be the go-to choice for the Allianz Arena side, and he is said to be the priority choice for the club after Alonso opted to remain at Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich had in the past also been interested in the German tactician and he could have been handed the job if former Bavarian boss Niko Kovac hadn’t defeated Ragnick’s RB Leipzig team 3-0 in the DFB-Pokal final in 2019.
Meanwhile, Hansi Flick is also another man who could be appointed by the Munich-based club, having led the team to the treble – Bundesliga, Champions League, and DFB-Pokal in the 2019/20 season.
Bayern Munich have reportedly ruled out the possibility of appointing Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, with the club’s plans understood not to be in line with that of the pair.
Anyway, Ralf Ragnick currently manages the Austrian national team and he has been magnificent in handling the side.
Ragnick became manager of Austria in May 2022, and he courageously guided the team to the 2024 European Championship in a group that had Sweden, Belgium, Azerbaijan, and Estonia.
He finished 2nd behind Belgium in the group, just one point adrift of Roberto Martinez’s side.
The 65-year-old’s interim stint as Manchester United boss wasn’t ravishing, but he has managed to get his career back on track with his impressive job in Austria.
