Share

Bayern appoint new head coach to replace Heynckes

Munich - Eintracht Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac will become the next coach of Bayern Munich in succession to Jupp Heynckes but the swoop will cost the Bundesliga champions more than €2 million, German media reported on Thursday.

Both Bild and Sport Bild claim that former Bayern star Kovac, 46, will take charge from 72-year-old Heynckes in the summer while Kicker reported that his release clause from their Bundesliga rivals will cost 2.2 million.

Kovac, born in Berlin to Croatian parents, is under contract to Frankfurt until 2019.

A close friend of Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, Kovac is expected to have his brother Robert as his assistant at the Allianz Arena.

He is also understood to be the preferred candidate of club president Uli Hoeness.

Heynckes replaced Carlo Ancelotti in October after the Italian was sacked following a series of poor result.

Since that time, Bayern have wrapped up the title and are also in the Champions League semi-finals.

Both Frankfurt and Bayern had last week denied that Kovac was on his way to Munich.

"There is no reason to doubt that I will be the coach of Frankfurt next season," said Kovac, a former coach of the Croatia national team.

A host of top coaches have been linked with the Bayern job.

Most recently, Germany's World Cup-winning head coach Joachim Loew ruled himself out, insisting he intended to honour his contract with the national team which runs until 2020.

Former Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel had already turned down Bayern and is expected to be the next coach of Paris Saint-Germain.

Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino, Lucien Favre, currently at Nice, and RB Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuettl were also linked.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1271 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1469 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2240 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE