Magath backs Klopp to replace Guardiola at Bayern

Former Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath believes Jurgen Klopp would be the ideal replacement for Pep Guardiola if the Spaniard were to leave the Bundesliga champions at the end of his contract.

Guardiola’s existing deal with Bayern is due to expire at the end of the 2015-16 campaign and he has so far been in no rush to open talks over a renewal.

“The question who will be Bayern’s next coach is more exciting than who will win the Bundesliga,” Magath writes for TZ.

“Guardiola still refuses to make a decision on his future and I am sure the people in charge at Bayern are looking at alternatives. Thank Klopp there is a pretty obvious candidate…

“His agent was quick to rule out a move to Borussia Monchengladbach, probably because a bigger challenge awaits.

“In my opinion, Klopp would be a great fit at Bayern. The team and coaching staff might be very much Guardiola-oriented at the moment, but Bayern have already shown in the past that they can be pretty flexible.

“The fact that Klopp is a Dortmund man should not be an issue either. Manuel Neuer used to be a Schalke man and is now a Bayern figurehead.”

Klopp has been enjoying a sabbatical since leaving Dortmund at the end of last season.

The former BVB coach has recently been linked with clubs such as Borussia Monchengladbach and Liverpool, but his representative stated last week that he is not ready to return to football just yet.