Bayer Leverkusen appears to have encountered an initial setback in their pursuit of a successor to coach Kasper Hjulmand. A supposed top candidate is no longer available, but a solution may already be on the horizon.
According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Filipe Luis will not be joining the Werkself but will instead sign with AS Monaco, agreeing to a contract until 2028. General Director Thiago Scuro reportedly negotiated the deal with the Brazilian in complete secrecy, leaving Leverkusen empty-handed.
Filipe Luis was reportedly Bayer 04’s preferred choice for the coaching position, as per Sky. While ‘concrete options B and C’ were also being considered, the sporting management, including Simon Rolfes and Fernando Carro, had set their sights on the successful coach from Flamengo, who secured 8 titles in 3 years.
It seems ‘Options B and C’ will now regain prominence. Alongside Luis, Oliver Glasner from Crystal Palace and Andoni Iraola from AFC Bournemouth have recently been linked with the Werkself. Both coaches have opted against contract extensions with their current clubs and will be available from July 1st.
On Wednesday, Glasner secured his second European trophy with the Eagles in his final match, following his sensational Europa League victory with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022. The Premier League club triumphed 1-0 against Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final.
The Bild now reports that Glasner is open to the Leverkusen job and that advanced discussions are already underway. The situation is expected to become ‘very concrete’ between both parties on Friday.
Hjulmand Stabilizes Bayer Leverkusen After the Ten Hag Nightmare
While Leverkusen has not officially announced Kasper Hjulmand’s departure, despite his contract running until 2027, the Dane’s exit in the summer is considered a certainty. The 54-year-old took over shortly after the start of the season, stepping in for Erik ten Hag, who had quickly fallen out with the sporting management, parts of the staff, and some players.
Under Hjulmand, the Werkself did experience increasing stability but still failed to qualify for the Champions League. Their DFB-Pokal campaign ended in the semi-finals against FC Bayern, FC Arsenal proved too strong in the Champions League Round of 16, and Leverkusen finished sixth in the Bundesliga season. Ultimately, this was insufficient for Hjulmand to retain his position.
Leverkusen’s performances were often unconvincing, and numerous expensive signings failed to live up to their transfer fees. A fresh start is now expected under a new coach.
AS Monaco is also parting ways with its coach after just over six months. Sebastien Pocognoli took over in October but missed out on European qualification with two season-ending defeats against Lille and Strasbourg.