Update: Ralf Rangnik drops out, leaving Arsene Wenger as the leading candidate for Bayern Munich

Earlier this week, Uli Hoeness revealed that Bayern Munich’s front office could decide on a new long-term manager to replace Niko Kovac by the time they travel to Fortuna Düsseldorf on November 30th. There have already been a handful of names linked with the job, but per the Wednesday edition of Sport Bild (print), former RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick and former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger are the front-runners.

Photo by A. Hassenstein/Getty Images for FC Bayern

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently said that he, Hoeness, and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic would conduct the search for a new manager together. Sport Bild reports, however, that Hoeness will abstain from the search, since he will officially step down as president on November 15 and continue only as a supervisory board member. Instead, Rummenigge and Salihamidzic will lead the charge in finding a new manager.

Since Salihamidzic is still only sporting director, as his promotion to the executive board is still pending, Rummenigge will be the real driving force behind selecting the new manager.

Ralf Rangnick: the odds-on favorite for a quick solution

Photo credit should read ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images

At this point in time, Ralf Rangnick stands out as the most realistic option as a quick fix at a reasonable price. Rangnick currently serves as head of sport and development for Red Bull’s clubs, focusing on New York, Brazil, and Leipzig, but Rangnick also has an extensive pedigree coaching in the Bundesliga. In addition to RB Leipzig, Rangick has managed Hannover 96, Schalke, TSG Hoffenheim, and VfB Stuttgart.

Sport Bild even reports that initial contact has already been made between Bayern and Rangnick regarding the manager’s position and that further discussions are planned for the coming days. Interestingly enough, Rangnick was also discussed last season, but Hoeness ultimately ended consideration, likely due to the disputes he’s had with him in the past. For what it’s worth, both Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller are supposedly advocates of Rangnick’s; Kimmich played for him at Leipzig, and Rangnick tried to sign Müller when he was managing Hoffenheim. Manuel Neuer, however, is reportedly skeptical of Ranginck.

The one potential road block for Rangnick could be the fact that he would only consider a long-term contract with Bayern. Additionally, he’s notorious for seeking a controlling role that goes beyond an ordinary manager, which could cause problems on Bayern’s front office, particularly with sporting director Salihamidzic.

Arsene Wenger also a viable option?

Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

While he may not be as realistic a candidate as Rangnick, Arsene Wegner has also been heavily linked with Bayern. He speaks German, has a well-decorated coaching résumé, and there’s already a contingent of five French players at Bayern. Last November, he was also someone Rummenigge and Hoeness were considering after questioning Kovac’s future after some poor results.

Wenger and individuals within his circle have reportedly signaled their interest to Bayern, the idea being that he would take over as manager in the summer. There also is the added incentive of winning another league title before he retires for good.

Other, less likely options on the table

• Erik ten Hag — Under contract with Ajax until June 2022. Ten Hag has already said he will stay with Ajax the rest of this season.
• Massimiliano Allegri — Does not speak German and has only coached in Italy.
• Jose Mourinho — Well decorated manager, but his most recent tenures don’t exactly bode well for him.
• Laurent Blanc — Does not speak German, has been out of management for over three years.

Update

Just in from Falk: Ralf Rangnik has declined negotiations with Bayern, now Arsene Wenger is the favorite for the head coach job.