Thomas Tuchel to LEAVE Bayern Munich! Bundesliga champions decide to part ways with German coach in summer after disastrous 2023-24 campaign - with Xabi Alonso & Jurgen Klopp in frame to replace him

Bayern and Tuchel have reached an agreement to part ways in the summer after crisis talks. The Bundesliga champions will now start working behind the scenes to appoint a new head coach, with Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso and Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp among those already being linked with the post.

Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen confirmed that Tuchel will be stepping down in an official statement on Wednesday, which reads: “In an open, good conversation we came to the decision to mutually end our collaboration in the summer. Our goal is to carry out a sporting realignment with a new coach for the 2024/25 season. Until then, every individual in the club is expressly challenged to achieve the maximum possible in the Champions League and the Bundesliga. I also explicitly hold the team responsible. Especially in the Champions League, we are convinced that after the 0-1 defeat in the first leg at Lazio Rome, we will advance to the quarter-finals in the second leg in our fully occupied Allianz Arena with our fans behind us.”

Tuchel added on the decision: “We have agreed that we will end our collaboration after this season. Until then, I and my coaching team will of course continue to do everything we can to ensure maximum success.”

Tuchel was initially appointed as Julian Nagelsmann's replacement at Bayern back in March 2023, and steered the club to an 11th successive Bundesliga title in his first couple of months in charge. However, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss has struggled to find a proper balance in the squad, and results have taken a turn for the worse this season, with Bayern falling eight points behind Leverkusen in the league after 22 games.

Bayern also exited the DFB-Pokal at the second round stage and face an uphill battle to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League after losing the first leg of their round of 16 tie against Lazio. That result was sandwiched by damaging Bundesliga defeats against Leverkusen and Bochum, and the board has decided a change will be necessary in the summer, with Tuchel's contract set to be ripped up one year early.

Bayern have relied heavily on the scoring output of summer signing Harry Kane this season, with the former Tottenham star already up to 29 goals for the club in just 30 appearances, but have been lacking quality across the pitch and no longer look like one of Europe's elite sides. Tuchel will still have the chance to leave on a high, though, with a pair of must-win Bundesliga games against RB Leipzig and Freiburg up next before Bayern aim to complete a second leg comeback in the Champions League against Lazio at Allianz Arena on March 5.