With the news that Hansi Flick will seek to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the 2020/21 season, it will set the Bundesliga managerial merry-go-round in full motion.
The leading candidate to replace Flick is RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann.
The 33-year-old already has five years of experience, initially impressing with Hoffenheim before moving to Leipzig in 2019.
Since then, he has established the club at the top of Bundesliga, challenging Bayern for the title this season, as well as leading them to the Champions League semi-final last season.
“My opinion is: Flick to the [German] national team, Nagelsmann to Bayern and Jesse Marsch to Leipzig,” German football legend Lothar Matthaus told Sky Germany.
“Of course, Bayern didn’t speak to Julian Nagelsmann directly, but [they] started the conversation with Julian Nagelsmann‘s side and I’m still standing by that today.
“I am convinced that Julian Nagelsmann will succeed Hansi Flick. He wants to take the next step.”
Nagelsmann has long been tipped for greatness in the coaching world and has previously been linked with Real Madrid.
He finished third in UEFA’s Men’s Coach of the Year for 2019/20, behind Flick and fellow German Jurgen Klopp.
The Bavarian-born coach is the favourite to replace Flick, but among those rumoured to be in contention is former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri.
Providing very different profiles, with Allegri the proven winner and Nagelsmann the upcoming prospect, Bayern‘s decision could come to define the future of the club.
Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic is clearly seeking to start a new era at the club, with key men like David Alaba and Jerome Boateng set to leave the club on free transfers this summer.
Those decisions led to a fallout between Salihamidzic and Flick, but that may not concern a figure like Nagelsmann, who is used to high transfer turnover at RB Leipzig, having lost key players like Timo Werner.
In another possible benefit for Nagelsmann, his current central defender Dayot Upamecano will make the same move from Leipzig to Munich this summer, so he could reunite with his coach there.
