Bayern Munich rule out move for Ronaldo

FT Desk

• 29 Nov 2022 14:04 CST
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo is a free agent following his release from Manchester United, but Bayern Munich have ruled out making a move for the Portuguese icon.

Ronaldo was, for a long time, perhaps the most in-demand player in the game; the most marketable athlete in the world off the field, and one who scored a barely fathomable 450 goals in 438 games during his nine-year stay with Real Madrid.

The current campaign has been his most difficult to date though. Just one season on from top scoring for Man Utd with 18 goals in the Premier League and 24 in all competitions, Ronaldo was dropped by Erik ten Hag before giving a blistering interview to Piers Morgan on the eve of the World Cup.

READ: From Man City bid to Messi: Ronaldo-Piers Morgan interview IN FULL

Having criticised Ten Hag, the Glazer family ownership and more in a bare-all one-on-one, Ronaldo was, perhaps unsurprisingly, released from his contract "by mutual consent."

Now 37, Ronaldo remains a premium player, one who was a haircut away from scoring his second goal for Portugal in Qatar in their 2-0 win over Uruguay on Monday, but Bayern have dismissed the idea of making a move for the attacker.

Kahn not having Ronaldo

"I can rule out a move for Ronaldo," Bayern's CEO and former goalkeeping great told Sky Germany. "We've considered it, we all love Ronaldo, but the strategy is different. We've a clear idea, philosophy of how our squad should be put together."

READ: How Chelsea missed out on 'next Messi' Musiala

Bayern seemingly had a gap in their attack after Robert Lewandowski left for Barcelona in a €50m deal this summer, but the No.9 position at the Allianz Arena has been filled admirably well by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who has scored 11 goals in 16 games so far this season.

Germany star Jamal Musiala - once of England and Chelsea - is Bayern's most potent attacking force with 12 goals and 10 assists, though, and more signings of the 19-year-olds ilk are the modus operandi Bayern want to pursue.