Thomas Tuchel had planned to find another job in the Premier League before Bayern Munich came calling.
The German giants have sprung something of a surprise by axing Julian Nagelsmann, but moved quickly to hire Tuchel as his replacement at the Allianz Arena. The former Chelsea boss, sacked earlier this season, was among the most desired coaches currently out of a job earlier this week.
Tuchel had been heavily linked with the Tottenham role, which is expected to become vacant with Antonio Conte's time seemingly up in north London. It has also been claimed that Tuchel had his heart set on remaining and England and taking a job in the Premier League as part of his 'original plan'.
Yet a call from Bavaria changed the German's mind and he has returned to his homeland and to a city where his daughters currently live and he himself has a property, according to German outlet TZ.
Bayern sit second in the Bundesliga, a point off Borussia Dortmund, whilst they are very much in the chase for the German Cup and the Champions League. It means a treble remains on the card and Tuchel will begin his tenure against Dortmund - the side where he truly made his name on the European stage.
He's since worked at PSG and Chelsea - losing the Champions League final to Bayern during his time in charge of the Parisians, before making amends 12 months later by winning it with the Blues as they beat Manchester City in the final.
Bayern's interest was ultimately too good to turn down and Tuchel opted to u-turn on any hopes he had of getting back into the Premier League. The 49-year-old's only major honour so far in his homeland was the German Cup he won in 2017 with Dortmund.
Oliver Kahn, a leading light at the Allianz, said on the decision to axe Nagelsmann: "We have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad - despite the Bundesliga title last year - has come to the fore less and less often. After the World Cup we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now."
Tuchel has penned a deal until the summer of 2025 and will take training for the first time on Monday ahead of what is arguably the biggest game of Bayern's season so far. He will also get a chance to renew his rivalry with City, whom Bayern face in the last eight in Europe.
Naglesmann's exit from Munich could yet open up new doors for the young coach, who remains highly-rated despite his sacking. Tottenham had eyed the German several summers ago but missed out on him as Bayern came calling.
Their expected vacancy would've seen Tuchel be among the favourites, alongside the likes of Mauricio Pochettino. Nagelsmann joins Pochettino as a man out of a job and could be another option considered by those in north London.
