Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness says he has already informed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola who will succeed Carlo Ancelotti as coach of the German champions.
After sacking Ancelotti last week, Bayern are stepping up their search for a new manager and Hoeness met with the club's former coach Guardiola at a Munich restaurant on Tuesday.
Hoeness told Munich newspaper Abendzeitung that a decision has been made on Ancelotti's successor -- and that Guardiola approves.
"It was purely a friendly get-together, but of course we exchanged ideas," Hoeness said. "I told him who we are going to appoint in the coming days. He was in agreement."
Former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel and Hoffenheim's Julian Nagelsmann are the favourites to succeed Ancelotti, who was fired the day after a 3-0 Champions League defeat at Paris Saint-Germain.
Interessantes Treffen heute in #München: Uli #Hoeneß (links) trifft Pep #Guardiola in der Osteria Italiana in #Schwabing #ssnhd #FCBayern pic.twitter.com/GCKkCaBwbx
— Chris Lymberopoulos (@Sky_ChrisL) October 3, 2017
Local reports speculated that Guardiola's approval could be a good indicator that Tuchel will get the job, as Guardiola is known to be an admirer.
A year ago, then-Bayern technical director Michael Reschke revealed that Guardiola told him in December 2014 that he wanted Tuchel to be his future successor at the Allianz Arena.
"I had a trusting relationship with Thomas Tuchel, and knew that he admired Pep's work," Reschke said. "Pep on the other hand was impressed with Mainz's displays. He often talked to me about Thomas."
After his success with Mainz, Tuchel took over Borussia Dortmund in 2015, but he left the club this May after winning the DFB Pokal.
Ancelotti, 58, left Bayern last week following a heavy Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and he has since said he will not coach again this season as he intends to take a 10-month break from football.
Assistant manager Willy Sagnol has taken over as interim head coach, but failed to have any immediate effect as for the first time in Bundesliga history, Bayern squandered a two-goal lead for a second consecutive game -- drawing 2-2 with Hertha Berlin on Sunday.