After weeks of poker game over the transfer of Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have finally agreed on a fee for the Polish striker. As the hunt for Lewandowski’s replacement at Bayern Munich continues parallelly, there’s arguably no better alternative than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lewandowski has been touted by many as the finest No. 9 in the modern game. Though there’s no denying that Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema had a better 2021-22 season, Lewandowski’s consistency over the last 4-5 seasons probably gives him the edge. So, how does Bayern Munich replace the ‘best striker in the world’?
Throughout the Lewandowski transfer saga, Bayern bosses have maintained that they don’t have a suitable replacement for the Pole available in the market. Hence, selling him to Barcelona isn’t something they fancy. But, now that a deal has been agreed, Hasan Salihamidzic and Oliver Kahn might have to fasten their search for a replacement.
Who better than Cristiano Ronaldo to replace Robert Lewandowski?
Though Bayern had turned down the chance to sign Ronaldo a few weeks ago when his agent Jorge Mendes had offered him to the German giants, the story might not be over yet. A number of reports emerged in the following weeks, suggesting Bayern remains Ronaldo’s No. 1 priority.
Talks with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain were also held both clubs aren’t looking to sign the Portuguese from Manchester United at present. With Lewandowski now set to leave, could talks reopen between the Bavarians and Mendes over Ronaldo?
Though Bayern are reportedly keeping tabs on Harry Kane and Joao Felix as Lewandowski’s replacement, none of them is available this year. Ronaldo, on the contrary, is looking to leave United.
Cristiano Ronaldo: The perfect short-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski
Ronaldo, who is 37 years old, can’t be a long-term replacement for the 33-year-old Lewandowski. But, until a long-term solution is found, Bayern do need a proper No. 9 to lead their attack. Though Sadio Mane has been signed, he isn’t a traditional striker. Relying on him to give 30+ goals next season would be foolish.
In comparison, Ronaldo fits the bill perfectly. He isn’t someone looking for a long-term contract. Bayern could offer him a 1 year + 1 year deal and parallelly keep their search for a younger striker active.
Ronaldo will also bring a huge influx of revenue to Bayern, be it through shirt sales or sponsorships. The money Bayern will earn by signing Ronaldo is expected to pay off the transfer fee they would be paying Manchester United for his services.
He will surely score more than 30 goals in a season, and going by his record in the Champions League, there’s probably no better person than him to lead Bayern’s challenge.
The Challenges:
The only roadblock in this deal is Ronaldo’s salary which is reportedly £480,000 per week. The figure is something that Bayern would want Ronaldo to reduce because of their own wage structure.
Ronaldo might also need to understand that he will not always be a starter at Bayern Munich. Julian Nagelsmann wants to develop a pressing system at Bayern which is why Sadio Mane was signed. Ronaldo isn’t someone who is known to thrive in that kind of system. Adapting quickly to the team’s style of play, hence, would be key.
If Bayern is to sign Ronaldo, Nagelsmann would need to find a way to integrate the Portuguese into his system.
