RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has reiterated he has not held any talks with Bayern Munich about replacing Hansi Flick at Allianz Arena.
Flick announced on Saturday that he intends to leave Bayern at the end of the season, with the 56-year-old heavily tipped to succeed Joachim Low as Germany boss after this summer’s European Championships.
That reignited rumours Nagelsmann is already being lined up to replace him at the Bundesliga champions – something the 33-year-old has been swift to dismiss for a second time.
What did Nagelsmann say?
When asked about the rumoured talks with Bayern, Nagelsmann said: "There are and were no discussions and no offer. That's why I don't know what Bayern's wish is. I have said I don’t want to start a war with my employers - that's still the case."
The bigger picture
Bayern expressed their disappointment in Flick’s decision to publicly announce his decision to step down in a statement on Sunday, although the club did confirm he had informed them of his desire to leave earlier this week.
With his exit now confirmed attention will inevitably turn to his potential successor, with most of the speculation surrounding Nagelsmann.
The former Hoffenheim boss has already denied holding talks with Bayern once this week before reiterating his stance on Sunday.
With RB Leipzig currently second in Bundesliga and pushing leaders Bayern for the title, it is understandable that Nagelsmann does not want any distractions, although the situation may develop at the end of the campaign.
Reports in Italy have also claimed Massimiliano Allegri is on Bayern’s list of potential managerial targets. Allegri has been out of work since leaving Juventus in 2019 but is believed to be keen on returning to management this summer.
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