Cristiano Ronaldo set for sensational return to Europe – with Bayern Munich: report

Cristiano Ronaldo, target for Bayern Munich, according to one report, celerbrates victory after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and Real Madrid at National Stadium of Wales on June 3, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales.
(Image credit: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo could be set for a remarkable return to European football – with Bayern Munich, of all clubs.

CR7 has been playing out in Al-Nassr since his contract with Manchester United was terminated during the World Cup. The 38-year-old has been in fine form in the Saudi Pro League, too, netting 13 times in his first 14 appearances in the competition.

But rumours of another big move are never far away, with the Portuguese icon still a target for clubs around the world. Now, one sensational potential move has materialised…

One German businessman has contacted Bayern Munich over financing a Cristiano Ronaldo move to the Bundesliga

CEO of Bayern, Oliver Kahn prior to the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and FC Bayern München at Wohninvest Weserstadion on May 06, 2023 in Bremen, Germany.

CEO of Bayern, Oliver Kahn, has been approached over a deal for Cristiano Ronaldo (Image credit: Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)

Businessman Markus Schon has reportedly contacted Bayern Munich over a plan to bring the legendary forward to Germany.

Schon is reportedly a huge fan of Ronaldo's and has spoken about the possibility of helping to bring the star to the Allianz Arena. Though the player himself would have to take a pay cut to move, he may well be in favour, should he get the chance to add to his record-breaking haul of Champions League goals. 

“It would be conceivable that we could undertake to pay a transfer fee or loan fee in excess of a basic amount to be defined if our company is clearly seen as 'facilitating' the difference,” Schon wrote, per Abendzeitung (via Football Transfers ). 

“In the event of a permanent commitment, we would expect a share in the proceeds from the jersey in order to limit our financial risk.”

Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr gestures during the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium on March 9, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Cristiano Ronaldo would have to take a pay cut to join Bayern (Image credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn has downplayed talk of the Bavarian giants moving for Ronaldo in the past – but with Bayern on the brink of losing a first title in a decade, perhaps their stance will change, should the money be right.

Despite Schon's keenness for the deal, it doesn't seem likely to happen. Ronaldo has seemingly never been on the radar for Bayern – and though manager Thomas Tuchel has plenty of experience dealing with big egos from his time at Paris Saint-Germain, launching a move for CR7 in his late 30s is not the kind of recruitment that Bayern have ever conducted.

Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.