Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes believes Thomas Tuchel has the qualities necessary to train the German champions, the 72-year-old said on Wednesday.
Heynckes began a fourth spell in charge of Bayern in October but has repeatedly said he will leave when his deal until the end of the season expires.
With Bayern on course for another treble under Heynckes, club bosses are keen to try to persuade him to stay, but former Dortmund coach Tuchel is among the bookmakers' favourites to take over.
"Dortmund under Tuchel played great football, with a good system. All the modern elements that are part of today's football were there. Tuchel was league runner-up, a German Cup winner and played attractive football," Heynckes told Sport Bild magazine on Wednesday.
"I think that Thomas Tuchel has the quality to coach Bayern."
Tuchel is out of work after leaving Dortmund at the end of last season having fallen out with the club hierarchy. His uncompromising nature has led some pundits to state he is not a good fit for Bayern, but Heynckes thinks being German could be Tuchel's best asset.
"The club knows what it wants," Heynckes said of Bayern, who sacked Italian Carlo Ancelotti in September.
"The club has realized that the German language is very difficult for foreign coaches to learn."
Hoffenheim boss Julian Nagelsmann has also been linked in the media with a possible move to Bayern, as has Germany coach Joachim Loew.
