Report: Vincent Kompany close to being appointed Bayern Munich coach
Vincent Kompany is set to become Bayern Munich coach after a compensation fee has been agreed with his current club Burnley, Sky TV said on Saturday.
The report said that only Kompany's signature on a three-year deal until 2027 was now missing to end the record Bundesliga champions' long and difficult search for a new helmsman in succession of Thomas Tuchel.
Sky said that agreement with Burnley, where Kompany had been in charge since 2022 on a contract until 2028, was reached earlier Saturday, with Bayern set to pay €10-12 million ($10.8-13 million) to secure the services of the 38-year-old Belgian.
There has so far been no official confirmation. Sky said late Friday that the deal could be completed on the weekend.
Kompany has talked to and reportedly fully convinced Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund.
Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness is said to have favoured a return of Hansi Flick who coached the team to seven titles in 2020 and 2021. But that appears off the table as Flick is set to become Barcelona coach in succession of Xavi Hernandez.
The former SV Hamburg and Manchester City defender Kompany became the subject of speculation earlier in the week after Bayern failed to land other and more prominent candidates over the past weeks.
Xabi Alonso from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, Germany coach Nagelsmanm and Austria helmsman Ralf Rangnick said they were staying put, Oliver Glasner was not allowed to leave Crystal Palace, and Tuchel also said he would not stay on after all.
After a first coaching term at his Belgian boyhood club Anderlecht Kompany led Burnley into the Premier League in his first season but they were unable to stay up this term, finishing second last.
His style is similar to that of Pep Guardiola, under whom he was City captain, possession football backed by a compact defence, an area where Bayern have been lacking lately.
Guardiola has said he would be delighted if Kompany landed the job at Bayern where he was in charge 2013-2016 before moving on to City.
"I have the highest opinion about his work, as a person, his personality and knowledge about the game," Guardiola said.
"I love this club for many, many reasons. If they believe that Vinnie is the right decision they will have a guy we will support unconditionally."
