Report: Whitecaps finalizing deal to sign German legend Muller

The Vancouver Whitecaps are finalizing the signing of Germany and Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller, sources told Tom Bogert and Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport.

The Whitecaps reportedly agreed to a deal in principle with FC Cincinnati to acquire Muller's MLS discovery rights, which was the last hurdle before the move could be sealed.

Cincinnati held Muller's discovery rights after making an offer for the 35-year-old free agent earlier this summer and will receive up to $400,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from Vancouver, according to Bogert and Jacobs.

Since Cincinnati didn't have an open Designated Player (DP) spot on its roster, the most it could offer Muller was just under $2 million, which he turned down, Bogert and Jacobs add.

Muller won't be a DP upon his arrival in Vancouver, but he will take up one of those roster spots beginning in 2026.

The World Cup winner announced in April that he'd be leaving his boyhood club after 25 trophy-laden years. Bayern Munich opted not to offer the veteran forward a new contract, a decision Muller said he respected although it didn't "reflect (his) personal wishes."

He played his final match for Bayern at the Club World Cup this summer.

Muller joined the German giants when he was 10 and went on to craft one of the most decorated careers in the sport's modern era.

He made more appearances for Bayern than any player in history - over 500 in the Bundesliga alone - and won 33 trophies. That list includes 13 Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, and two Champions League crowns.

He racked up 250 goals and 276 assists in 756 appearances across all competitions for the Bavarian side.

Muller also earned 131 caps for Germany. He won the Golden Boot as the top scorer at the 2010 World Cup and then helped Germany lift the trophy four years later in Brazil.