Bayern Munich 'on course' to acquire former Aston Villa and West Brom man
Bayern Munich are reportedly close to appointing a former Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion coach, inflicting a blow to Middlesbrough.
The 32-time Bundesliga winners are keen to add Aaron Danks to their backroom staff following the appointment of Vincent Kompany as manager.
Danks, currently Michael Carrick’s assistant at Middlesbrough, spent 11 years coaching in West Brom’s academy before enjoying a spell at Villa between September 2021 and December 2022. The 43-year-old, who worked as Kompany’s assistant at Anderlecht in 2021 before heading to Villa, has been handpicked for a Bayern switch.
The Daily Mail reports the Bavarian giants have identified Danks as a priority target for the new-look coaching team following a request from Kompany. It’s claimed Danks is “on course” to leave Middlesbrough to make the move, one that will likely rise his stake even higher than it already is.
Danks, who worked closely with Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard at Villa Park, has established himself as one of the best emerging young coaches in England. His departure from Middlesbrough will demand a compensation fee, much like Bayern had to pay Burnley for Kompany’s services a few days ago.
Kompany and Danks tasked with beating Alonso
Bayern finished third in the Bundesliga last season, putting an abrupt end to 11 consecutive title wins. Bayer Leverkusen ran away with it at the summit of the table, winning 28 and drawing six of their 34 matches to clinch an incredible unbeaten season.
Kompany and Danks will have the tricky objective of returning to German football’s top spot, outthinking one of the world’s most talented tacticians Xabi Alonso. VfB Stuttgart, who finished second last term, will also be hard to beat. RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are expected to be in the battle, too.