Bayern Munich has employed RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann to exchange the departing Hansi Flick beginning subsequent season.
The reigning German champions introduced on Tuesday that the 33-year-old Nagelsmann will transfer to Bayern on July 1 with a contract that runs by way of 2026. Bayern mentioned it agreed to terminate Flick’s contract after he requested to be launched early, after his relationship with the membership’s highly effective sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has deteriorated over switch coverage.
“The place at FC Bayern is a singular alternative for me. I might subsequently wish to thank Oliver Mintzlaff and the remainder of the board at RB Leipzig for locating an answer with FC Bayern and making this attainable for me,” Nagelsmann mentioned.
“I had requests from different golf equipment however I refused,” he mentioned, earlier than repeating his “lifelong dream” was to educate Bayern.
Nagelsmann has been with RB Leipzig for 3 years and led the crew to the Champions League semi-finals in 2020. Leipzig is in second place behind Bayern within the Bundesliga standings and has reached the semi-finals of the German Cup.
RB Leipzig agreed to let their younger coach depart in return for a “very excessive switch price”, membership boss Oliver Mintzlaff mentioned.
A number of German media shops have estimated the price at between 20 million euros ($24.2m) and 30 million euros ($36.2m), together with bonuses, which might make him the most costly coach in soccer historical past.
Though he wouldn’t affirm these figures, Mintzlaff steered that they had been correct.
“We don’t deny the rumours which are circulating,” Mintzlaff mentioned.
New technology
Nagelsmann grew up close to Munich and got here by way of the youth system at one other membership within the metropolis.
His skilled soccer profession as a participant ended early on account of knee accidents, however at age 28, turned the youngest head coach in league historical past when he took over at Hoffenheim in 2016. The crew then certified for the Champions League for the primary time in its historical past.
“Julian Nagelsmann signifies a brand new technology of coaches,” Bayern President Herbert Hainer mentioned. “Regardless of his younger years, he has already constructed a powerful profession. We’re satisfied that we are going to construct on the good successes of current years along with Julian Nagelsmann.”
“I’m satisfied that Bayern’s sporting future will likely be a really profitable one with Julian Nagelsmann,” Oliver Kahn, the membership’s former goalkeeper who will succeed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as Bayern chairman subsequent yr, instructed the membership’s web site.
Bayern was pressured to search for a brand new coach after Flick mentioned this month he needed to go away the membership regardless of having a contract by way of 2023. Flick received the league, German Cup and Champions League final season with Bayern and is on the verge of one other league title.
Nonetheless, as reviews of a rift between Flick and Salihamidzic emerged, Bayern had been knocked out of the Champions League within the quarter-finals by PSG earlier this month.
Bayern will safe the Bundesliga title if it wins its subsequent recreation on Might 8 towards Borussia Monchengladbach or if Leipzig loses to Borussia Dortmund the identical day.
‘Superb time’
Bayern initially appointed Flick in 2019 as an interim coach when Niko Kovac was fired. He was purported to step in for a couple of weeks however the crew’s successful run meant he was given an extension, first till the tip of the 2019-20 season, then till 2023.
Flick has not been in a position to have fun any trophies in entrance of the crew’s followers due to the pandemic. Solely the European Tremendous Cup in Hungary and Membership World Cup in Qatar had been received in entrance of small numbers of supporters.
“One tinge of unhappiness stays, that we couldn’t have fun the good successes throughout this era with the followers. I’ve missed you in each match,” Flick mentioned in an announcement from Bayern.
“The final two years will likely be unforgettable for me. The feelings, the wins, the titles, but additionally the day-to-day work on the pitch have been plenty of enjoyable for me, it’s been a tremendous time.”
The 56-year-old has been linked with the German nationwide crew job, which will likely be vacant as soon as Joachim Low steps down after this yr’s European Championship. Flick was Low’s assistant from 2006 till Germany received the World Cup in 2014.