Thomas Tuchel responds to Bayern Munich petition amid Manchester United links

Thomas Tuchel says he will not allow his decision of whether he stays at Bayern Munich or not to be influenced by a fan petition pleading for him to stay at the club.

The 50-year-old is set to leave the Allianz Arena at the end of the season after it was announced in February that there would be a change in manager as part of a "sporting realignment" at the club.

But after Ralf Rangnick revealed earlier this month that he had held talks with chiefs of the German club over succeeding Tuchel, a fan petition, with over 15,000 signatures in just a matter of days, has been created to persuade both Tuchel and Bayern to reverse the decision.

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However, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach, who has been linked with replacing under-fire Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, has insisted his only focus is on reaching the Champions League final with Bayern.

"Even though this topic is good for me when they [the fans] wish you to stay, it's not something that is a priority. It isn't allowed to be a priority," said Tuchel. "In the next 11 days, it's only about football, nothing else. Whether it's pleasant or unpleasant, I don't allow myself to be influenced by it."

Earlier this week, a report from German publication Kicker claimed that Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already made contact with Tuchel, "who he values enormously", about his plans for the 2024/25 season.

Talk of Tuchel being appointed as United's next manager comes as Ten Hag faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford, with the Reds set to miss out on Champions League qualification after a below-par season in the Premier League.

However, it is claimed a decision on the Dutchman's future won't be made until the end of the season.