MY ACCOUNT
Pep Guardiola cannot foresee Bayern Munich letting Robert Lewandowski leave nor Barcelona having the financial power to sign the striker.
Lewandowski is contracted to Bayern until the end of next season, but he is attempting to engineer a move to Camp Nou a year earlier amid interest from the Catalan giants.
The Poland captain declared his story was over at Bayern at the end of May, as disputes over contract proposals between his agent and the Bundesliga champions continued.
While Lewandowski appears intent on joining Xavi’s side, there remain questions as to the finances behind a deal, with LaLiga boss Javier Tebas stating Barca cannot afford the 33-year-old unless they sell at least one prized asset.
Blaugrana president Joan Laporta hit back at Tebas’ comments, but Barca’s economic vice president Eduard Romeu admitted the club must sell players before they would be in a position to land Lewandowski.
Manchester City boss and Blaugrana legend Guardiola, speaking at the Legends Golf Trophy event in Mallorca, expressed his doubts over whether Lewandowski will move to Spain.
“It seems that they have it difficult,” he said on Monday. “His career speaks for itself. We are talking about Lewandowski, he adapts to any place.
“But I don’t know, I don’t know if the economic situation can allow him to join, I don’t know if Bayern will let him go. I already have other problems!”
Guardiola guided City to their fourth Premier League title in five seasons last month and his side will be bolstered by the imminent arrival of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
It has been reported Bernardo Silva is a target of Barca should Frenkie de Jong leave for Manchester United.
Guardiola would only comment on Barca’s financial situation, though, as he detailed his hopes that the Blaugrana will return as a dominant force in his homeland.
“Looks like they’re having it tough,” he said when asked of Silva. “I hope everything goes well for them but with the situation they have they cannot do great things.
“There are moments in history, everyone has to accept it when the situation is the way it is and sometimes going with low expectations will help you to rise very quickly.
“The expectations can be low because of the situation not because of the lack of quality of the coaches, the players or the board of directors.
“The perception I have is good, but you have to go calmly. Everyone knows that if the situation isn’t good you can’t make big signings. You have to think about winning the next game.”
