MY ACCOUNT
Bayern Munich are determined to keep Robert Lewandowski away from Barcelona’s clutches as speculation mounts that the Polish striker will request a transfer.
After clinching a 10th consecutive Bundesliga title, Bayern were bringing down the curtain on their season as they travelled to face Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Lewandowski has been champion eight times with Bayern and twice previously with Borussia Dortmund, having left Lech Poznan in 2010 to try his luck in Germany.
Now he is reportedly keen on moving to Barcelona, and with only one year remaining on his contract Bayern are facing a quandary.
They could make fresh attempts to persuade him to sign an extended deal. If it has already passed that point, they could dictate to Lewandowski that he must stay for the next 12 months before leaving on a free transfer. That would risk Bayern going into a new season with a disgruntled senior player.
The alternative is that they cash in on him now, when, at the age of 33, he would still bring in a hefty transfer fee.
Lewandowski has netted 49 goals in 45 games this season, making him the leading scorer across all competitions among players from Europe’s top five leagues (Bundesliga, Ligue 1, LaLiga, Premier League, Serie A).
Bayern president Herbert Hainer told German newspaper TZ: “Robert Lewandowski has a contract with FC Bayern until June 30, 2023. And he will fulfil it.”
The Wolfsburg game could turn out to be Lewandowski’s final match for Bayern, if he is serious about wanting a move.
Bayern head coach Julian Nagelsmann said the striker had shown professionalism in training but deferred to more senior club officials regarding Lewandowski’s future.
“He has been training very well, showing good commitment and scoring great goals,” Nagelsmann said in a pre-match news conference on Friday.
“He will be in the starting line-up [on Saturday]. His contractual situation is known and I won’t give any information about anything else.”
Speaking last month, Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn considered Lewandowski’s situation, saying: “We are in contact with Robert and want him to stay with FC Bayern for as long as possible.”
Kahn added: “Of course, at some point players like this get the idea: I’ve achieved everything here and won everything. Then it takes time to convince him to stay here.”
