Man Utd have bizarre Bayern Munich name in mind to replace Ronaldo, with shock Prem return rousing ‘very strong interest’

Man Utd could replace Cristiano Ronaldo with a Bayern Munich forward in 2023, with a report detailing four factors that make a shock Premier League return surprisingly viable.

Ronaldo’s return to Manchester started brightly, though has devolved into something of a nightmare in season two. Erik ten Hag does not favour the Portuguese icon and regularly starts Marcus Rashford up front.

What’s more, it was Anthony Martial who got the nod to begin pre-season at centre-forward. The Frenchman looked a rejuvenated figure and but for his injury woes, would likely also be ahead of Ronaldo in the pecking order.

United will hope Martial can prove his worth in the second half of the season. If he does, and if Rashford continues to thrive, United may decline the option in Ronaldo’s contract.

His current deal expires next summer, though the club hold an option for an extra 12 months. Given his highly publicised antics and ill-discipline, as well as his declining on-field performances, United may deem enough is enough.

The Manchester Evening News recently claimed a new centre-forward will be Ten Hag’s ‘priority’ next summer. That would also suggest Ronaldo may be in his final season at Old Trafford.

The MEN didn’t speculate as to who might fill the void, though a report in France has. What’s more, it’s not a name you might’ve expected.

Curious Bayern forward impresses Man Utd

MediaFoot (as cited by Sport Witness), report Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is attracting ‘strong interest’ at United.

The Cameroon international is now 33, though remarkably, appears to be getting better with age.

He secured a upgrade in 2018 that required a double take when leaving Stoke City to join PSG. Choupo-Moting was primarily a depth piece in Paris, though impressed enough to catch Bayern’s eye two years later.

Bayern sold Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona oevr the summer and put their search for a long-term successor on hold until 2023.

That means an assortment of wingers were played out of position up front to begin the season, including ex-Liverpool favourite, Sadio Mane.

However, Bayern struggled without a focal point, opening the door for Choupo-Moting.

He’s grasped the nettle with both hands, notching an incredible eight goals in just 615 minutes of action this season. That equates to a goal every 77 minutes and Choupo-Moting has even notched against Barcelona and Inter Milan.

Choupo-Moting might not be the sexiest of names for United to be linked with, though the links perhaps should not come as a surprise.

Recent United deals suggest a pattern

Indeed, they did experience some success when signing veteran forward Odion Ighalo in 2020. Furthermore, United pushed to sign 33-year-old Marko Arnautovic from Bologna during the summer.

Choupo-Moting’s current deal in Bavaria expires at season’s end. Bayern understandably want him to pen fresh terms given his late-career surge. However, MediaFoot report Man Utd may present a viable alternative.

United are suitably impressed with his ‘profile, versatility and experience’. A fourth positive comes in the fact he could be available for nothing next summer.

United are described as ‘seriously considering’ a swoop, with their interest termed ‘very strong’.

If Ten Hag likes what he sees from Rashford and Martial after Christmas, Choupo-Moting could take Ronaldo’s place in the squad and provide reliable depth.

Alternatively, if Ten Hag wants a higher profile addition, Choupo-Moting could still be signed as back-up, with Rashford and Martial competing for the wing roles.

Choupo-Moting is not a name many would have expected to be linked with Man Utd. Though given his situation and his remarkable form of late, a cost-effective move does make sense on many levels.

The difficulty may lay in convincing him to leave Bayern given they’re preparing a new contract. He’s something of a regular starter in Munich of late and that may be difficult for Man Utd to match.

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