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Jurgen Klinsmann labelled Robert Lewandowski as a legend for Bayern Munich after his move to Barcelona, while he has no doubts the Bundesliga champions would welcome the striker back.
Lewandowski secured his long-awaited move to Barca earlier in the week, leaving in a deal worth up to €50million as he penned a four-year contract with the Blaugrana.
The Poland talisman scored 50 goals in all competitions last season, the most in Europe’s top five leagues, and leaves behind a legacy in the Bundesliga.
Lewandowski scored 312 Bundesliga goals across spells with Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, with only Gerd Muller (365) managing more in the competition’s history.
After departing Bayern having accumulated 344 goals and 57 assists across 375 appearances in all competitions, Klinsmann insists Lewandowski will be remembered fondly by the Bavarian giants.
“Well, I think in the short term, there’s a little bit of sadness,” Klinsmann, who played for Bayern between 1995 and 1997, told GOAL.
“Maybe also a little bit of attention because there was still hope that he would stay and not get moved out.
“I think you let the grass grow for a couple of months and then I think all of Bayern Munich fans, the club, everyone involved will be forever thankful to Robert for what he’s done.
“He will be definitely one of the biggest legends in the history of the club, one of the most exciting, one of the most exceptional players.
“There will be an opportunity when he comes back. Maybe it’s a friendly game, or it’s maybe even, down the road, a European cup competition or whatever, where he will get an exceptional reception from the Bayern fans.
“For a couple of weeks, maybe there will be a little bit of bitterness for some of the fans, but that goes away, definitely goes away. So in the long run, he will be remembered as one of their greatest.”
Bayern had already brought in Sadio Mane from Liverpool, alongside Ajax duo Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui, before signing Matthijs de Ligt after Lewandowski’s departure.
Having won the Bundesliga for an unprecedented 10th time in a row last season, Klinsmann cannot envisage Bayern relinquishing their German top-flight dominance in the near future.
“I think they’ve done tremendously well,” Klinsmann added. “They came up with Mane and I was really impressed.
“I thought that he was at the right place there with Jurgen Klopp and he’s done fantastic, absolutely fantastic, with Liverpool then also with the national team and we’re going to see him in Qatar in November and December. So to get him from Liverpool is a big deal, a really big deal.
“Then they added another huge piece in De Ligt, a very young, highly-promising centre back and growing at the age of 22. He’s already a leader. That’s huge.
“Knowing Bayern Munich, they’re always looking. They’re always checking the market and when there’s the opportunity to get another one or two very, very crucial pieces for their puzzle, they’re going to do it.
“Don’t be surprised if they do it but from one of their main rivals because that’s what they traditionally did over the last 30-40 years, but they’ve already kind of covered up a lot in this transfer market and any other player now coming in as just another piece of quality.”
