The state of Bayern Munich’s coaching search is taking a turn for the absurd.
With rejections coming hot and fast — Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Rangnick, maybe even Thomas Tuchel himself next — the Bavarians appear to be changing strategy and casting a wide net.
A wide, wide net.
From Sky Sport journalist Florian Plettenberg, captured via @iMiaSanMia:
Bayern have enquired about Julen Lopetegui in the past few hours. The Spaniard is not high on the list, but the club has asked about his availability [@Plettigoal, @SkySportNews]
Plettenberg later added more:
More on our excl. news about #Lopetegui X Bayern:
Max Eberl inquired by phone with Lopetegui’s management on Thursday.
➡️ Bayern initially just checked if the 57-year-old Spaniard is available. Lopetegui wants to take over a new club again. He’s on Bayern‘s list now.
➡️… pic.twitter.com/6Y6cuQYXiJ
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) May 4, 2024
More on our excl. news about #Lopetegui X Bayern:
Max Eberl inquired by phone with Lopetegui’s management on Thursday.
➡️ Bayern initially just checked if the 57-year-old Spaniard is available. Lopetegui wants to take over a new club again. He’s on Bayern‘s list now.
➡️ Bayern have already dealt with him under Salihamidzic/Neppe.
Eberl on Lopetegui: „I’ve never publicly discussed candidates – even if it were shortly before the announcement – and I’ll stick to that.“
@SkySportDE
The 57-year-old Lopetegui is currently out of coaching, having left his post at Wolverhampton last August. His last job at a big club was Real Madrid — and it is a history as inauspicious as they come.
For one, the tenure lasted only a few months; he was sacked in October of his first season. Further, his announcement as the next Real coach caused his immediate dismissal by the Spanish national team — just as the 2018 FIFA Men’s World Cup was about to start. Finally, it was 2018 — six seasons ago now.
But as Thomas Tuchel and Kevin Garnett have said…anything is possible.