• Eintracht Frankfurt manager to take up post in July • Current club rail at Bayern and timing of revelation

Bayern Munich have confirmed that Eintracht Frankfurt’s Niko Kovac will take over as the club’s new manager in July.

The 46-year-old former Croatia midfielder will succeed Jupp Heynckes, who was appointed to replace Carlo Ancelotti on an interim basis in September.

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“Niko Kovac will be the new coach of FC Bayern from 1 July, 2018,” said sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. “We agreed on a three-year contract yesterday. Niko was a Bayern player, he knows the people in charge as well as the structure and the club’s DNA. We are convinced he is the right coach for the future of Bayern.”

The 46-year-old, who had a long playing career in the Bundesliga, was at Bayern between 2001-03. Kovac, who won 83 caps for Croatia but was born in Berlin, has been in charge of Eintracht since 2016.

“It’s a good choice. It will work,” Heynckes said of his successor. At a news conference later on Friday, Kovac said he had mixed feelings about leaving Frankfurt, but “not many coaches, not many players” get an opportunity at Bayern. “It’s not so simple, I have to admit,” he said. “It’s difficult for me now that it’s ending soon. But where one door closes, another opens.”

Eintracht sporting director Fredi Bobic blasted Bayern for not getting in touch beforehand, and for the timing of its announcement. “It was a surprise for us in this phase,” he said. “In this phase which is extremely important for Eintracht Frankfurt. We can achieve a lot in the next weeks. That’s why this point in time is not a very fortunate one for us. That information made it to the outside – definitely not out of Frankfurt – is very annoying, unprofessional and lacking in respect.”

The decision in favour of Kovac marks a turn for success-driven Bayern, who had previously opted for big-name coaches including Champions League winners Heynckes, Louis van Gaal and Pep Guardiola.

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After retiring Kovac was briefly an assistant coach in Austria and took over Croatia before signing with relegation-threatened Eintracht in 2016 and turning them into Champions League contenders this season. His brother Robert, also a former Bayern player, will join him from Frankfurt as his assistant.

Meanwhile, Bayern have also confirmed that wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry are in talks over securing extended stays in Bavaria after discussions on Thursday. “We will have news in the next days,” Salihamidzic said.