Manchester United flop manager set for one of the biggest jobs in Europe

A general exterior view of signage on the Stretford end stand at Old Trafford during Manchester United's FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool in March 2024.
(Image credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

 Former Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick is closing in on a move to Bayern Munich, club president Herbert Hainer has confirmed.

The German is currently in charge of the Austrian national team – a position he has held since leaving Manchester United in May 2022.

Rangnick succeeded Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a short-term basis in November 2021 but had a frustrating time of it at Old Trafford, guiding them to a club-record low points tally for a Premier League season – just 58, only enough to finish sixth.

Ralf Rangnick's dismal Manchester United spell no deterrent to Bayern Munich

Austria head coach Ralf Rangnick addresses media during a press conference in a hotel in Courbevoie, near Paris on September 21, 2022, on the eve of the UEFA Nations League match opposing France and Austria.

Ralf Rangnick is currently Austria head coach (Image credit: Getty Images)

When Rangnick was appointed, United intended to keep Rangnick on for a further two years in a consultancy role, but that agreement was terminated by ‘mutual consent’ at the end of the season.

His record of just 11 wins from 29 games (plus ten draws and eight defeats) gives Rangnick the lowest win percentage (38%) of any United manager since Frank O’Farrell, who was in charge for 18 months to December 1972.

However, it appears Bayern Munich will not let Rangnick’s dismal spell in England overshadow his achievements as a manager in his home country.

After guiding Hannover to promotion to the top flight in 2002, Rangnick had two spells in charge of Schalke, who he took to two German Cup finals and a second-place finish in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel.

Thomas Tuchel is leaving Bayern Munich (Image credit: Getty Images)

Rangnick later had two stints at RB Leipzig, taking them to the cup final in 2019 as they established themselves as a growing if controversial force in German football.

Current Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel has already announced his intention to leave at the end of the season, while Rangnick confirmed in February that he would step down as Austria boss following this summer’s Euros. Austria have been drawn in a tough group alongside Poland, France and the Netherlands.

Hainer told Sky Sport Germany: "We are in good discussions with Ralf, but now we have to wait and see whether it ultimately turns out that way. We'll have to see when we give the final go-ahead, but I think it won't be too long before we do know which direction we're going in.”

Sky Sport add that Rangnick has been offered a three-year deal at Bayern.

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Steven Chicken

Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.