Niko Kovac named Bayern coach from 2018-19 season

Munich  :  Niko Kovac, the head coach of Eintracht Frankfurt, will replace Jupp Heynckes as Bayern Munich's head coach after the 2017-18 football season, the German champions said on Friday.

Bayern Munich confirmed on the club's official Twitter account that sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had "agreed a three-year contract" on Thursday and would officially start his new job on July 1, reports Efe.

The 46-year-old Croat takes over from 72-year-old Heynckes, who came out of retirement in October after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked to steer Bayern to their sixth consecutive league title, and the semi-finals of both the German Cup and the Champions League.

Kovac took over at Eintracht Frankfurt in March 2016 with the Hessians fighting to avoid the drop, which they managed only after winning the relegation playoff against FC Nuremberg.

He then led them to an 11th place Bundesliga finish the following season, and the team have further improved this term, standing currently in fifth place, level on points with RB Leipzig and two points off Bayer Leverkusen in the last Champions League qualification spot.

Frankfurt also made it to the final of the 2017 German Cup, which they lost to Borussia Dortmund, and have again reached the semis this year.