Since arriving in the United States, Lionel Messi has helped attract veteran stars to MLS, with one of the most recent being Rodrigo De Paul, who joined Inter Miami. Now, Thomas Muller, who has officially said goodbye to Bayern Munich, is another star set to join Major League Soccer.
The German midfielder left Bayern Munich after competing in the Club World Cup this summer, marking the end of his 25-year stint with the club. He joined the Bavarians at only age 10, playing his way throughout the youth ranks to the first team.
Muller is, of course, a familiar rival to Messi. He played a key role in Germany’s 2014 World Cup–winning squad, which defeated Argentina in the final. He was also part of the team that eliminated La Albiceleste with a 4–0 win in the 2010 quarterfinals.
In total, Messi and Muller have faced each other nine times, including Champions League matches, both during the Argentine’s time at Barcelona and PSG. Of those encounters, Muller emerged victorious on eight occasions.
Thomas Muller is set to join the MLS (Getty Images)
The 35-year-old star announced his move to MLS through a lighthearted video shared on his social media, where he reenacts a Western. In the clip, he says he’s making “a jump across the pond,” referring to his upcoming move across the Atlantic.
The Vancouver Whitecaps are emerging as the top destination
According to Tom Bogert and Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport, the Vancouver Whitecaps are finalizing a deal to sign Muller. The club has reached an agreement to acquire Muller’s MLS discovery rights from FC Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati will reportedly receive up to $400,000 in General Allocation Money as part of the deal. While Cincy held Müller’s rights and had made an offer to sign him earlier this summer, the club was unable to open a Designated Player (DP) slot.
So, their top offer, just under $2 million, wasn’t enough to convince the German star. Per the report, Muller won’t occupy a DP spot for Vancouver this season but is expected to become one in 2026.
This move marks Muller’s first club outside of Bayern Munich, where he made 752 appearances, scoring 250 goals and providing 237 assists. He won 33 trophies with the club, including two UEFA Champions League titles.
