Pessimism in Barcelona by Robert Lewandowski

“Right now only a conjunction of stars would bring Lewandowski to Barcelona.” This is how graphic and resounding they manifest themselves within the club when talking about the state in which the signing of the Polish striker is. The main obstacle is being Bayern Munich, who are willing to lose money and for the player to leave for free next season, rather than let him go this summer. From Barcelona it is assumed that this intransigence of the Bavarian entity is being a practically insurmountable obstacle, since all the interlocutors with whom it has contacted within the German club maintain the same unequivocal mantra: “Robert Lewandowski is not for sale.”

A situation that worries and occupies within the Blaugrana club, aware of the need to bring a top 9 to complete Xavi Hernández’s project. The priority of the technicians was the Norwegian Erling Haaland, but the high commissions forced Joan Laporta to rule out the signing. The second on the list, Mohamed Salah, also did not get off the donkey when asking for an unattainable token -close to 20 million euros-, while the thirdRobert Lewandowski does accept emoluments more in line with Barcelona’s parameters, but here the main problem is that he still has a year of contract with the Bavarian entity and today they do not want to part with the player.

In any case, neither Barça nor the player have yet said the last word. The Blaugrana club, which hopes to soon activate one of the economic levers that would relieve its treasury, would be willing to raise his offer to 40 million euros, while the international has already made it very clear to Bayern that he will not renew and that he wants to leave this summer.

So, right now the ball is in Bayern’s court. Although knowing the idiosyncrasies and the pride of the Bavarian leaders, it seems very difficult for them to give their arm to twist.

Hence, in Barcelona they are beginning to assume the ‘real’ risk of running out of a ‘top’ striker -Now the Chelsea attacker, Romelu Lukaku, has emerged as an option, although the more than one hundred million that Chelsea paid a year ago make the Belgian an unviable alternative-. Hence, in some sectors of the directive, the idea begins to gain weight that it will finally be Ansu Fati who occupies the center forward position, as an alternative to Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. A possibility that is being seriously valued within the coaching staff and that gains more supporters every day.

Nagelsmann

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann announced this Friday that there has been a positive initial dialogue between the club’s management and the representatives of striker Robert Lewandowski to discuss the renewal of the Pole, whose contract expires on June 30, 2023.

“I asked if it was a good conversation. And it seems that it was. But there is nothing to report, in any sense. My position has not changed, we want to keep it as it is and extend his contract,” Nagelsmann said at a press conference.

The 33-year-old forward’s contract ends on June 30, 2023 and Bayern’s sports director, Hasan Salihamidzic, already ruled out Lewandowski’s departure this summer after eight years at the club.

But, on the other hand, there was repeated speculation about a transfer to Barcelona and, finally, the player’s representative, Pini Zahavi, met with the leadership of the Bavarian club. Nagelsmann said that Zahavi likes to negotiate hard.

The coach expects Lewandowski to follow in the footsteps of 32-year-old Thomas Müller, who has already signed a new contract with Bayern until June 2024.

“It is always important that decisive players and symbols of Bayern extend the contract. That can surely drag others down. Anyway, I think that the others also make their own decisions and it does not depend only on Thomas,” said Nagelsmann.