It seems like every week a new story emerges claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo is dissatisfied with his current team, Manchester United. This time around, though, it's not just hearsay; we have really heard it directly from the veteran himself.
Although the 37-year-old has gone public with his displeasure at United, his future with the club appears to be secure after he said he has "no respect" for Erik ten Hag. The forward also revealed his dissatisfaction with the Red Devils and his belief that influential members were attempting to push him out the door, despite rumors to the contrary regarding his desire to leave in the summer.
The departure of the former Real Madrid and Juventus striker from Old Trafford in the new year is all but certain. According to the Daily Mail, representatives from Bayern visited with the athlete and his agent only last week.
Why Bayern see ideal Robert Lewandowski's big-name replacement in Cristiano Ronaldo
The German league winners reportedly sent representatives to England to meet with Ronaldo about a possible transfer. Although the German club said they weren't interested in signing the player during the summer transfer window, their stance could change when the January transfer window opens.
In a last-ditch effort to pry Ronaldo away from the Premier League, agent Jorge Mendes contacted the Bavarians and a number of other clubs, including Chelsea, Sporting, and Napoli in the summer, and even Newcastle. In July, Bayern's chief executive, Oliver Kahn, confirmed the club had considered signing him but decided against it because he didn't fit with the team's style.
Sadio Mane's health seems to be the root cause of Bayern's about-face. As a consequence of an injury sustained in the Bundesliga's last match before the World Cup, the Senegalese player may not be able to participate in the opening Group Stage matches. However, in spite of Mane's attacking skill, he is no match for the all-around ability of Robert Lewandowski.
It was well knowledge that losing the Poland captain would be devastating and would need a number of fresh signings. Averaging about 40 percent of Bayern's goals each season, he has gotten off to a red-hot start with Barcelona, scoring 18 and assisting on four in only 19 games played across all competitions.
