Man Utd flop Ralf Rangnick wanted by Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund as Bundesliga giants eye Austria manager for role 'similar to Jurgen Klopp's at Red Bull'

According to reports from Austrian magazine Profil andGerman newspaper Bild, Ralf Rangnick could make a shock return to the Bundesliga as German heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are keenly interested in acquiring the Austria manager.

Bayern Munich supervisory board member Uli Hoeness is reportedly keen on appointing Rangnick as the club’s "mastermind," similar to Jurgen Klopp’s role as Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer, according to Bild. Rangnick’s expertise in scouting and youth development could benefit Bayern, while he remains a backup option for a coaching or sporting director role. Though Bayern previously considered him in February, no direct contact has been made. Despite rejecting the Bavarians last year, Rangnick maintains strong ties with key club figures.

"Ralf is the head coach in Austria. He is doing a very, very good job there," said Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund at a press conference on Friday. "I don't know if his name is floating around Sabener Strasse, in Dortmund, or at other clubs. He is very happy in Austria with the team. Fundamentally, I believe he enjoys the job a lot and feels comfortable in Austria."

Bayern Munich could find themselves competing with arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund for Rangnick, with Bild reporting BVB’s interest. In January, he was considered a successor to head coach Nuri Sahin, even meeting Dortmund officials in Salzburg. Niko Kovac was ultimately appointed but he has struggled to make a positive impact, with the club's Bundesliga performance, where they sit 11th, threatening their European qualification for next season. Rangnick, meanwhile, is being linked to the sporting director role at the club.

A year ago, Rangnick was fully committed to his role as Austria’s head coach, but reports have suggested his relationship with the Austrian Football Federation (OFB) has since deteriorated. Last autumn, there were even rumors of his resignation, and OFB President Wolfgang Bartosch recently ruled out an early contract extension, stating it’s "not an issue at the moment". Despite a strong Euro 2024 campaign, Austria failed to secure Nations League promotion, suffering a play-off defeat to Serbia in the last international break.