Bayern Munich have seen a fourth manager snub the club as their search to replace the outgoing Thomas Tuchel continues.
The German giants announced in February that Tuchel’s exit date would be brought forward 12 months as a part of a ‘sporting realignment’ at the club.
Since then, Bayern have surrendered their Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, snapping a run of 11 consecutive championships.
Club chiefs have been working on hiring a successor for Tuchel for more than two months, but have now seen current Austria boss and former Manchester United head coach Ralf Rangnick turn down the opportunity to take over.
“I am the Austrian team boss with all my heart," Rangnick said. “I would like to expressly emphasise that this is not a rejection of FC Bayern, but rather a decision for my team and our common goals.”
Rangnick will now focus on leading Austria’s Euro 2024 campaign in Germany this summer. The 65-year-old becomes the latest big name to turn down the Bayern job since Tuchel’s upcoming departure was announced.
Bayern initially moved for Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, who has led his side to the first Bundesliga title in the club’s history, with his team sitting 12 points clear at the top of the table with three matches remaining.
Former Bayern midfielder Alonso's Leverkusen side are unbeaten in all competitions this season, with their current mark of 46 games without a loss a European record. Liverpool, who are working to replace Jurgen Klopp, were also in for the Spaniard, who announced at the end of March he will be staying where he is.
"For sure all the decisions, you need to analyse well, and I tried to take the right ones, I tried to take the ones that come in a natural way, and at this moment I feel this is the right place for me to be to develop as a coach.
"I am a young coach, but I have to feel it, and right now I feel that this is the right place."
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann was another to be linked with Bayern as his contract was due to expire after the Euros in July, but he has also put an end to any speculation after he penned a new deal with Die Mannschaft last month.
"This is a decision from the heart,” the 36-year-old said. “It is a great honour to coach the national team.”
Four days after Nagelsmann signed his new deal with Germany, another Bayern target committed his future elsewhere, when Unai Emery extended his stay at Aston Villa to 2027.
Emery’s work in leading Villa into the Premier League’s top four and the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League saw him emerge on Bayern’s radar.
So who is left out there for Bayern?
In the wake of Rangnick’s snub, the bookmakers have Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi as the new favourite for the post. This comes after the Italian refused to commit his future to the Seaguls last month.
“I have a different way to decide my future,” he said. “I want to speak with my club, I have a contract but the problem is not the contract - the problem is to find the same plan, the same target, the same vision for the future.
“For me, I have not decided yet what is my future, because I have the contract, but anyway I want to speak with Tony [Bloom], my club, to understand their plan, to understand his plan, the Tony plan. Then we take the decision together, without problems.”
On the pitch, Bayern will be hoping that Tuchel’s tenure will end with the club winning the Champions League and ensuring that they do not endure a first trophy-less season since 2011/12.
Bayern held Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw in this week’s semi-final first leg, with the return clash taking place in the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
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