Last month it was confirmed that Tuchel would depart the Allianz Arena after the two parties had reached a mutual agreement, with the German champions currently sitting ten points adrift of leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen’s manager, Alonso, has been earmarked as a possible successor to Tuchel and Sky Germany claimed last week that Bayern had pulled ahead of Liverpool in the race to land the Spaniard, widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders on his generations.
The report suggested that Alonso felt replacing Klopp and the German’s extraordinary legacy was too much of a risk and had intimated that he favoured a move to Bayern after positive discussions with the Bavarian giants.
However, Alonso is tied into a deal at Leverkusen until the summer of 2026 and it would require a fee of £21million to prise the former World Cup winner away from Bay Arena.
And Bayern chief Eberl has refuted claims that Alonso had opened talks to take over the reins from Tuchel, while telling supporters that there will be no ‘quick fix’ to the club’s problems.
‘Of course we want the new coach to be in place as soon as possible, but it has to be right, there will be no quick fix,’ Eberl told Sky Germany.
‘We have a list of priorities that we want to work through, but we still have a season to complete with Thomas Tuchel and we want to finish it in the best possible way.’
Pressed on rumours linking Bayern with Alonso, Eberl responded: ‘It’s not up to me to talk about other coaches.
‘We have to do our job and find out who is the right one. Then we have to see what it might cost and if we can afford it.
‘There are many facets to the search for a coach.
‘We haven’t talked to anybody yet. It will always be respectful because a few of the candidates are at another club, so it’s not that easy.’
Addressing the speculation, Bayern and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus predicted that Alonso would stay put at Leverkusen despite interest from two of European football’s biggest clubs.
‘His dream may be to one day coach Bayern, Liverpool or Real Madrid,’ he said.
‘But, in my opinion, he is not done at Leverkusen yet. Xabi is not someone who gets carried away by big names, he has celebrated too many successes as a player for that.
‘He, in addition, is not going to be guided by the economic aspect. What matters to him is what he has built and who he has built it with.
‘He knows where he comes from and what he owes to others. That’s why I don’t think he’s going to sign for another club next season.
‘I can’t think of any coach in Europe or the world who fits Bayern Munich better than Xabi Alonso. But Alonso is focused on Bayer Leverkusen and I think that is good.
‘He is not yet interested in Bayern Munich, nor in Liverpool or Real Madrid. He is only interested in winning three titles with Leverkusen in the next two and a half months.
‘The way he was a player, he is the same now as a coach. He is true to his character. The stories that are unfolding now and in the coming weeks and months don’t matter to him. He has no pressure and can take things easy.’
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