German soccer legend Thomas Müller is set to join MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps, Fabrizio Romano reported on Tuesday. The details of the deal are yet to be revealed.
Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport previously connected the 35-year-old to Vancouver, and reported that the Whitecaps agreed in principle to acquire Müller’s “discovery rights” from FC Cincinnati before closing the deal.
Advertisement
According to GiveMeSport, Cincinnati will receive $400,000 in guaranteed allocated money after letting go of Müller’s rights, which allowed the club to negotiate with players. Cincinnati reportedly tried to sign Müller earlier in the summer but failed to reach a deal due to the lack of a designated player spot. Since he would not be a DP, Cincinnati could only offer Müller under $2 million, which he did not accept.
Müller will not be a designated player upon his arrival in Vancouver but will become one the following season.
His MLS move comes after Müller spent 25 years with German giants Bayern Munich. Müller arrived at the club in 2000 and spent seven years of his youth career there before playing for the second team from 2007 to 2009. He then joined the first team and helped them win 12 Bundesliga titles.
Advertisement
Before his last game for the club, Müller released a statement about his departure, while clarifying that he is not retiring.
“It’s clear that today is not like any other day for me,” Müller said. “My 25 years as an FC Bayern Munich player will come to an end in the summer. It’s been an incredible journey, shaped by unique experiences, great encounters and unforgettable triumphs.
“I feel immense gratitude and joy that I got to make this career with my beloved club. The special connection to the club and our fantastic fans will always remain. What I want as a farewell should be clear: titles we can celebrate together, and moments we’ll remember fondly for a long time.
“We’re going to give our all in the coming weeks to bring the league title back to Munich and reach our coveted ‘Finale Dahoam.’ Let’s do it together!”
Advertisement
Apart from the domestic titles, Müller won two Champions Leagues and two Club World Cup titles with Bayern Munich. With Germany, he won the 2012 UEFA Euros and 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In 756 total appearances for Bayern Munich, Müller tallied 250 goals and provided 276 assists. He also has 45 goals for Germany and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He joins a Vancouver side that sits second in the Western Conference with a 13-6-5 (W-D-L) record.
