Cristiano Ronaldo sparks transfer speculation after receiving several new Instagram followers from one club: Reports
According to Spanish outlet AS, several Bayern Munich players, including Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka, have followed Cristiano Ronaldo on Instagram.
The Portuguese forward has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer. Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and Bayern are among the teams who have been linked with signing him.
A return to Real Madrid has also been touted, but if his latest Instagram activity is anything to go by, he could be on his way to the Bundesliga.
Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Jerome Boateng, Ryan Gravenberch, Serge Gnabry, and Marcel Sabitzer are the other Bayern players that now follow Ronaldo on the social media platform.
#MUFC
Erik ten Hag: “Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale. I planned with him, and I’m looking forward to working with him. The situation is still the same. I am well informed – he also has an option for a further season” 🚨🔴 #MUFC
“Ronaldo could stay beyond this season? Yes”, he added. https://t.co/ZhUHARoQrf
Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski left the Allianz Arena to seal a move to Barcelona earlier this month. This would leave a big gap to fill in Julian Nagelsmann's attack. The club have thus looked to the Manchester United striker as a potential replacement.
The 37-year-old Portuguese forwa scored 24 goals in 38 games across competitions last season after returning to Old Trafford last summer.
He is said to be willing to take a 30% pay cut in order to find a new team. This highlights the struggles that his agent Jorge Mendes has been facing in order to find his client a new club.
However, multiple Bayern players following Ronaldo on Instagram in such a short time spantime strongly indicates that a move to Germany could be on the cards.
Does a move to Bayern Munich make sense for Cristiano Ronaldo?
The Bavarian giants are clearly in need of a centre-forward after Lewandowski's departure. The Poland international scored 344 goals and provided 72 assists in 375 games for Bayern across all competitions.
Such numbers are very hard to replicate, but if anyone can manage to do that, it's Cristiano Ronaldo. The prolific Portuguese goal-scorer certainly won't be a long-term solution to the German club's striker problems up front.
However, he has shown time and again that he can step up in games that matter most. Bayern will want to taste UEFA Champions League glory once again after winning the title in 2020.
The former Juventus star last won the Champions League trophy four years back with Real Madrid and will be itching to add to his tally.
Ronaldo and Bayern seem like a match made in heaven but it remains to be seen if they will make a bid for him this summer.
He still has one year left on his contract at Old Trafford, with an option for another year, and Erik ten Hag would be wise to retain a player of his ilk for at least the next campaign.