Manchester United's pre-season preparations and transfer plans have been thrown into disarray amid Cristiano Ronaldo's wish to leave the club in pursuit of Champions League football.
United, who will kick-off their pre-season programme next Tuesday against arch-rivals Liverpool in Bangkok, failed to qualify for the competition for the forthcoming campaign, finishing a disappointing sixth in the Premier League last season. It means that they'll compete in the Europa League.
Ronaldo has played in the Champions League for the last 19 seasons running, meaning it is understandable that he would want to secure the achievement of spending two decades playing in Europe's premier club competition. Furthermore, the Manchester Evening News understands that United's slow start to the transfer window and a salary reduction are among other reasons why he wants to leave.
READ MORE: Manchester United in the dark over Cristiano Ronaldo return date amid Chelsea links
Should he depart, it would leave a huge hole in United's squad, as they are already in need of a replacement for Edinson Cavani, who departed last month following the expiry of his contract. They would need a striker - and quick - but the likes of Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland have already been snapped up.
Although United are remaining firm in their stance on Ronaldo's future, insisting that he is not for sale, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have emerged as two of the early favourites to land his signature. With that said, MEN Sport has taken a close look at three players United, potentially, could request from Bayern in a swap deal that may see Ronaldo move to Munich.
Benjamin Pavard
Although United have strengthened their left-back options with the signing of Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, question marks continue to surround the club's current crop of right-back options. Both Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka enjoyed runs in the starting line-up last season but neither of them did enough to prove themselves as an option for the long-term.
It is an area of the team that United need to address this summer, even though a centre-back is taking priority in terms of a defensive signing. However, should Bayern contact United about the prospect of signing Ronaldo and the club proposes a swap deal, Frenchman Pavard might be someone they have in mind, given their need for an upgrade at right-back.
The 26-year-old, who famously scored a stunning goal for France against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, was Bayern's first-choice right-back last term. However, the signing of Noussair Mazraoui from Ajax means that the German giants now have an alternative option. They also have Bouna Sarr and Josip Stanisic who are right-backs.
Serge Gnabry
Linked with United over the weekend by a national newspaper, Gnabry is out-of-contract at Bayern next summer and talks over a new deal have stalled. Bayern have already admitted that they will be prepared to sell him this summer if an agreement over a new deal cannot be reached, opposed to losing him for free next summer.
Considering United are actively looking for a new right-winger, the Germany international could be just the ticket in a swap deal for Ronaldo. He has been one of the best players in German football over the last few seasons, scoring 64 goals and grabbing 40 assists in 171 appearances for Bayern since joining them from Werder Bremen in 2017.
Signing Gnabry would not only solve United's pursuit for a right-winger, but he would also be capable of picking up the goalscoring baton from Ronaldo, given his exploits over the last few seasons. Given his contract situation, he could be a player United pick out if Bayern prove open to a swap deal.
Robert Lewandowski
Could a like-for-like swap deal be in United's best interests? Lewandowski is being heavily linked with an exit from the Bundesliga giants this summer and has never experienced playing in the Premier League.
Although he, like Ronaldo, is coming towards the end of his career, turning 34 next month, the Poland international remains an ever-reliable source of goals, highlighted by his tally of 50 goals in just 46 matches for Bayern last season. He has scored a staggering 153 goals over the last three seasons in all competitions.
Both Lewandowski and Ronaldo are two of the greatest goalscorers the world has ever seen and United, if Bayern want Ronaldo, could do far worse than testing the water by proposing a swap deal. Lewandowski is an elite-level striker and considered as the best in the world by many.
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