Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben reportedly wants to head to North America to play in MLS rather than moving to Inter Milan this summer.
Bayern Munich have already begun their big squad overhaul as some of the stars of the past decade are set to depart in the summer. Arjen Robben, who announced his decision to leave Bavaria earlier this season, will be one of the club’s high profile departures. The 35-year-old has enjoyed ten trophy-laden years in Munich, which included the club’s historic treble in 2013.
Robben is not eager to hang up his boots despite struggling heavily with injury this season. The Dutchman still has the quality to play at the top level, and he has been linked with numerous clubs since announcing the decision to leave Bayern. Robben has reportedly not made a decision on his future club, though, as his focus remains on ending the season on a positive note with Die Roten.
According to Calciomercato, the Dutchman is eyeing a move to MLS instead of playing in Europe next season. The latest update from the same outlet suggests that Toronto FC is the club most interested in Robben’s services.
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Calciomercato‘s report once again confirms interest from Inter Milan, but it claims the Dutchman is not keen on playing in Italy. The Nerazzurri are not yet giving up on Robben, though, and plan to hold further talks with the veteran winger soon.
Dutch sides Groningen and PSV Eindhoven have been heavily linked with Robben as well. The latter club even reportedly held talks with the Dutchman to explore the possibility of his return. The player will have to take a pay cut if he decides to return to his home country. FC Tokyo also confirmed their interest in signing Robben and could have a good chance of landing Robben if he is not interested in playing in Europe.
Robben has had some terrible luck in terms of injuries over the past few seasons. It would take a huge toll on his body if he decided to join another top European league. A move to MLS or Asia would suit him well at this stage of his career. Moreover, these moves also have their own financial advantages compared to a move to Eredivisie and Serie A.
The 35-year-old is currently frustrated with his ongoing injury setbacks. Robben has not played for Bayern since November, and he is desperate to play at least one more competitive game this season. He started light training on the pitch earlier this week, but there is still no confirmation of when he will again be available. His return will be a further boost to Bayern’s chances of retaining the Bundesliga after they thrashed Borussia Dortmund and went top of the table on Saturday.