Cannavaro nixes Witsel move to Bayern

Bayern Munich this season has been linked to many players across Europe’s top leagues. But, according to Belgian media outlet Le Vif (via FourFourTwo,) Bayern has attempted to extend an offer to players outside of Europe.

Axel Witsel, in the fall of 2016, turned down a move to elite European clubs such as Juventus to make a move to China.

Currently, the Belgian midfielder makes over €16 million a year playing for Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian. That incredible salary is what lured Witsel away from Europe and why he is currently playing in a developing league.

When players go to China, bigger European clubs follow an unwritten narrative that those players are to be forgotten.

"Everyone thinks that coming here, I [would] get forgotten," said Witsel to Le Vif.

That narrative has apparently been proven wrong in recent weeks.

According to Witsel, Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti reached out to his fellow Italian, Fabio Cannavaro, the manager of Tianjin Quanjin, to see if Witsel could make a move to Munich.

"He wanted me at Bayern,” said the Belgian. “This is proof that you are not forgotten in high-level European football on the pretext that you are playing in China.”

Cannavaro, who is searching to turn Tianjin Quanjin into an elite club in China, stated that he needed the 28-year-old, thus nixing a possible move for Witsel to Bavaria.

When Witsel turned down offers to leave Zenit to go to Juventus, many questioned his desire to become one of the best midfielders in the world. With a huge salary awaiting him in China, people began to state that Witsel, like many others, is only in it for the money.

But, after hearing of this story between Ancelotti and the Chinese League, could Bayern make a run for another talent in the league?

Notable players in the league consist of Brazilians Hulk, Oscar, Alex Teixeira and Ramires. Ivorian Gervinho is also out in China along with Argentinians Carlos Tevez and Ezequiel Lavezzi.