Which Bayern Munich superstar is thinking of joining the Whitecaps?

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The thing about miracles is they are extremely rare — but they do happen.

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Hail Mary, full of grace there is a chance that Thomas Müller may become a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps.

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The idea of bringing the Bayern Munich legend to Vancouver, let alone Major League Soccer, seemed dead when presented to Caps CEO Axel Schuster dismissed the idea, saying it didn’t fit the team’s current roster construction model.

But Transfermarkt scoops guru Manuel Veth reported Saturday that the move wasn’t completely dead and, in fact, Vancouver had become the odds-on favourite to land the 35-year-old Müller, who has spent the last 17 years cementing himself as one of the Bundesliga team’s greatest all-time players.

The rumours started flying of Müller’s move to MLS during the All-Star festivities earlier this week, and the German international confirmed it after posting a video saying retirement wasn’t an option, and his future lay elsewhere.

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FC Cincinnati were the front-runners, as they hold his discovery rights for MLS. But Cincy was seemingly rebuffed as a destination by Müller, and trade talks began in earnest. Los Angeles FC cropped up as the next likely landing spot, but they have shifted their attention to Tottenham Hotspur winger Heung-Min Son.

The Philadelphia Union were another possibility, but the team balked at the idea of paying wages amounting to US$9 to $10 million per year, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, with Union sporting director Ernst Tanner calling them “unthinkable.”

The biggest hurdle, Veth reported, was the amount of money Cincinnati wants for the discovery rights, saying they want more than the $400,000 the LA Galaxy paid Charlotte FC for Marco Reus’ discovery rights last year.

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If Müller were to sign in Vancouver, it would easily be the biggest signing in team’s tenure, and rank as one of the largest sporting moves in the city’s history.

As for the roster construction model, the Whitecaps have currently declared to be following the U22 model — meaning two Designated Players and four U22 players. The Caps currently have Ryan Gauld and Andres Cubas as DP, while Édier Ocampo and the newly acquired Kenji Cabrera make up the U22 players.

But they can switch their declaration to the DP-heavy model — three DPs and three U22 players — up until the end of the Secondary Transfer Window on Aug. 21, making room for Müller.

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