The ‘buts’ with Lewandowski

To this day, the possibility that Robert Lewandowski, 34 years old in August, will play for Barça from next season, still has many loose ends. From Poland, the TVP Sport channel announced on Monday a preliminary agreement between the Barça club and the representative of ‘Lewi’, Pini Zahavi, for the current The Best to wear the Barça shirt until June 2025. Everyone knows the good relationship that exists between Zahavi and Joan Laporta, but also that this does not mean anything. Last year, the Israeli was in Barcelona to give hope to Laporta, then in the middle of the electoral campaign, with Alaba. The Austrian ended up in Madrid.

Xavi, who is aware that Haaland’s signing is almost impossible and has also ruled out Salah’s for the time being, likes Lewandowski. how not He is one of the most prestigious strikers in the world and, despite the fact that he will turn 34 in August, he is aware of the professionalism of the Pole and believes that he may have several years left in the elite. His opinion, however, is not shared one hundred percent in the club, where there are voices that doubt the suitability of starting a new project with a 33-year-old striker, the same years that Aubameyang is about to turn. That sector considers that the bet should go for reinforcements that are in the age range of Ansu, Pedri, Araújo…

But there are more obstacles in that race for Lewandowski. For starters, his contract ends in 2023 and Bayern have no intention of selling him. The Germans have already shown that they are capable of keeping their stars until the end of their commitment even if they then leave for free. Alaba is the latest example. Nobody rules out, furthermore, that Pini Zahavi plays with Barça also to end up negotiating a short extension with Bayern. If he does not renew, his departure would already depend on the good will of the Germans. Lewandowski has been exemplary at Bayern, but that does not mean that they gave him the exit.

And, in the background, there is Barça’s economic situation, with a negative salary limit of 144 million euros and pending renewals for Araújo and Gavi plus Dembélé’s open option; in addition to fitting Christensen and Kessié. This summer, Barça will be subject to LaLiga’s famous one-to-four rule. That is, you can only spend to sign 25 percent of the amounts you save or the benefits you get from player transfers. Definitive exits like those of Coutinho, Umtiti, Pjanic, Sergi Roberto, Lenglet, Neto and even Dembélé or Memphis themselves could help him, but Lewandowski is a very expensive player.

To the Barça and Lewandowski it agrees to them to be giving veracity to the operation. He keeps the azulgrana in the showcase as a top-level club still capable of accessing the best players. And to the Pole, to value him to negotiate a renewal with Bayern or a departure to another league as long as it has the approval of the Bavarian club.