'Many clubs are interested in Alphonso Davies' - Vancouver Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster on special offer he has for Bayern star & how he was 'ignorant' of MLS

• Davies drawing interest
• Canadian star to be welcomed back to Whitecaps for honor
• Schuster details how he was 'ignorant' about MLS

WHAT HAPPENED? Davies joined the Whitecaps at age 15, when he moved to Vancouver on his own to join up with the club's residency program. He's since gone on to become Canadian soccer's biggest star, departing MLS for Bayern Munich in 2019 before establishing himself as one of the best left-backs in the world.

The full-back/winger is Canadian soccer's biggest success story, and Schuster says the club hopes to honor him properly soon, although his busy schedule with Bayern and the Canada national team makes that a bit difficult. He also says that the club is in constant contact with Davies' agent, who says there's plenty of interest in the Canadian star from outside of Bayern Munich amid recent reports that Real Madrid are among those interested.

WHAT THEY SAID: "We definitely want to bring him to the stadium as a guest of honor at a match," Schuster told GOAL, "but Vancouver is not his first port of call in Canada. He originally comes from Edmonton, where we run an academy. His family still lives there today. I have a lot of contact with his environment and enjoy it. They are very down-to-earth people - and all big Whitecaps fans.

"Alphonso works with the right people. His agent already supported him back then in Edmonton as a young talent. He drove him to training and even trained with him. Fortunately, Alphonso has remained loyal to him to this day. He has resisted the advances of bigger agents. Alphonso's agent is also looking after our next shooting star Ali Ahmed. I like to demonize agents because many are out for their own gain, but that's not the case with him.

"By the way, he confirmed to me the other day that many clubs are interested in Alphonso."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Schuster, who is from Cologne, Germany, joined the Whitecaps in November 2019 after working with the likes of Mainz and Schalke. He was rewarded with a four-year contract extension last October, which will keep him with the club for the foreseeable future.

Looking back on his arrival, Schuster says he didn't fully know what he was getting into with MLS and, having spent the last few years in Canada, he's fallen in love with a league that remains very foreign to those outside of North America.

"Like many Europeans before, I was ignorant," he said. "People judge MLS without knowing anything about the league. Anyone who takes a closer look at MLS isn't surprised by the financial strength and sporting attractiveness [of the league].

"In a league without relegation like MLS, that's essential [the play-off system]. Otherwise, many games would lose all appeal at the end of the season. The attractiveness of relegation shows that such a system of knockout games would arouse interest in Germany. I am sure playoffs would be well received. The question is whether it really would be fair."

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WHAT NEXT FOR DAVIES? The Canada star recently played in the CONCACAF Nations League for Canada, falling to the U.S. men's national team 2-0 in the final. He was not named to Canada's Gold Cup roster, giving him a bit of time off before reporting to Bayern for preseason.

Even if he doesn't end up changing clubs, Davies says he hopes to change positions this season for Bayern as he recently discussed his desire to take up a more attacking role.