Leverkusen boss Heynckes to rejoin Bayern

Jupp Heynckes will become coach of FC Bayern München for the third time this summer, with the Bayer 04 Leverksen boss having agreed to replace Louis van Gaal when he leaves at the season's close.

The 65-year-old Heynckes will sign a two-year contract after talks with Bayern board members and sporting director Christian Nerlinger. The head of the Bayern board, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, said: "Jupp Heynckes was our number one candidate. I am convinced we will have a successful relationship with him."

Bayern's announcement is the latest move in a managerial merry-go-round that began when the Bavarian club stated on 7 March that Van Gaal's two-season reign would end in May. That was followed on Monday by the news SC Freiburg coach Robin Dutt had agreed to succeed Heynckes at the Leverkusen helm in the summer.

However, looking beyond the current campaign, in which his Leverkusen team are well placed in second in the Bundesliga – two places and seven points better off than Bayern – Heynckes said: "I have always been impressed by how professionally this club is run. I have been Bayern coach twice before and have always appreciated the working environment there. As Bayern coach you have a sort of duty to be successful, but I believe this is an interesting challenge which I want to take on together with the team."

Heynckes won two Bundesliga titles in his first spell as Bayern coach, between 1987 and 1991, and then led Real Madrid CF to 1997/98 UEFA Champions League glory. He briefly managed Bayern again, as caretaker boss, in 2009 before taking charge at Leverkusen that summer. His coaching credits also include: VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, Athletic Club, Eintracht Frankfurt, CD Tenerife, SL Benfica and FC Schalke 04.

As a player, striker Heynckes won four German championships and the 1974/75 UEFA Cup with Mönchengladbach, as well as the 1972 UEFA European Football Championship and 1974 FIFA World Cup with West Germany.

Fourth in the Bundesliga, Bayern are anxious to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season by finishing in the top three, not least because the 2011/12 final will be held at their Fußball Arena München.