Reports: Bayern Munich want Premier League manager to succeed Jupp Heynckes
What’s the rumour?
The Sun claim that the Bayern Munich board want Mauricio Pochettino to be at their helm next season. Jupp Heynckes is unlikely to extend his stay and The Bavarian club sees Pochettino as his ideal replacement.
In case you didn't know:
Heynckes' first stint at the club was in 2009. The German stepped down after helping the club to achieve a historic treble in the 2012-13 season.He was succeeded by Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola enjoyed three trophy-laden years at the club and was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti in 2016. The Italian won the league in his debut season but had to endure a shaky start this term. As a result, Heynckes was appointed for his second stint at the club. Since his arrival, they have turned their fortunes around and are now in contention for a treble.
On the other hand, Pochettino has gained a multitude of admirers for his work at Tottenham. He took over the London club in 2014 and has revitalised everything about them. He even came close to clinching the league title on a couple of occasions.
The heart of the matter:
Following a difficult start to the campaign, Carlo Ancelotti was sacked by Munich towards the end of September. Heynckes was appointed as an interim coach who will be in charge till the end of the season. There is little chance of Heynckes extending his stay in Germany.
As a result, the club is looking for a suitable replacement and have their eyes set on Pochettino. The Argentinean has raised Tottenham to another level following his arrival and has turned them into title challengers. His emphasis on young players needs to be given credited, particularly at a time when many clubs use their financial muscle to get ahead.
Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked with Pochettino, whose contract runs out only in 2021.
Rumour rating/probability - 6/10
Although many tabloids are reporting the same, a move this summer is unlikely to take place. He has a contract till 2021 and will want to oblige to that. On many occassions, he has expressed his desire to be at the London club and achieve trophies with them. The Spurs hierarchy will want to keep hold of him at any cost.
Author’s take
Pochettino will be an ideal man to take the reins at Bayern Munich because of his desire to achieve big and an inclination towards the youth. A move is unlikely to pan out this summer though because of the aforementioned reasons.