Mark van Bommel Leading Contender to Be Named New Bayern Munich Sporting Director
Ex-Netherlands midfielder Mark van Bommel is the favourite to be named Bayern Munich's new sporting director, Eurosport have reported.
The Dutchman played for the Bavarian club from 2006 to 2011, when he left for AC Milan after a disagreement with coach Louis van Gaal.
A combative midfielder during his playing days, Van Bommel is believed to be the preferred candidate of Bayern president Uli Hoeness.
Hoeness and Van Bommel have established a close friendship, and the club president has already tried to bring him to the club as Carlo Ancelotti's assistant coach.
The 40-year-old is currently under-19 coach for Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven, but is likely to accept a new role with Bayern.
Hoeness recently revealed that Bayern are expecting to have announced a new sporting director "within the next six weeks".
"I think that we will present a sports director in the near future," he said. "Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and I have had a lot of long trips to China, and we have talked."
Van Bommel himself has in the past openly expressed an interest in one day returning to Bayern.
"FC Bayern always excites me, I have always felt very comfortable, but unfortunately the paths have been separated since 2011," he said last year. "I do not know what the future will bring - but I can imagine it, if there is room for me. It is always an interesting option for me to think about."
Van Bommel, who speaks a number of languages including German, English and Spanish, has a reputation at Bayern and wide ranging footballing connections.
