Vancouver Whitecaps take lead on Thomas Müller deal: Only discovery rights remain

The future of Thomas Müller, legendary Bayern Munich and German national team player, remains uncertain. While all signs point to a move to Major League Soccer, there are still some key details to finalize. As of now, Vancouver Whitecaps appear to be leading the race to sign the veteran forward.

However, there’s one crucial step left: they must first acquire the discovery rights held by FC Cincinnati. That’s right—despite not being the front-runner to land Müller, Cincinnati is at an advantage because they were the first MLS team to file a discovery claim on him once he became a free agent. Cincinnati showed interest earlier this summer, but the salary they offered reportedly didn’t sit well with the German forward.

That said, Müller strongly prefers a move to Vancouver, not Cincinnati. This means the Canadian club must first negotiate a deal with Cincy for those discovery rights (a unique rule in MLS), and only then can they officially move forward. According to reports, Vancouver already has a nearly finalized agreement with the player.

Talks are underway between both MLS clubs to reach an agreement, which would clear the path for Müller’s arrival. Unless Cincinnati returns with a significantly better offer—which seems unlikely—Thomas Müller is expected to join the Vancouver Whitecaps, as reported by journalist Tom Bogert.

If finalized, Müller would become a Designated Player for Vancouver in 2026, not in 2025. His last competitive appearance was at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where he came off the bench several times. Over the most recent season, he logged 1,921 minutes, scoring eight goals and contributing eight assists.

What did Thomas Müller say about his future after the Club World Cup?

“Maybe I’ll walk away. Anything’s possible, and I’m not stressing over it. I’d like to try something new—there’s a reason why faraway or exotic countries often have an edge over staying in a domestic league. I’ve never officially ruled anything out, but right now it’s not a priority. That said, it would also need to be a serious sporting project.”

“My contract runs until the end of July, and even though I haven’t signed anything for August 1, I feel calm. Physically, I feel great and I’d love to keep playing—because football is still fun.”

Will we see him in MLS soon? It’s looking more and more likely.