'Understandable' that Lewandowski wants to leave Bayern, says former team-mate
Martin Macdonald
- 29 Apr 2022 15:59 BST
- 3 min read
Former Bayern Munich midfielder Javi Martinez says he understands why Robert Lewandowski wants to leave the German champions.
The Poland international is considered by many to be the best centre-forward in the world and has won the Bundesliga every year since signing for Bayern from Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer, while in 2019 he helped the club to a Champions League triumph.
At the moment, he has a contract with Bayern until the summer of 2023, so if the club wish to receive some money via a transfer fee, they will need to sell Lewandowski this summer before he is eligible to leave as a free agent.
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With contract negotiations stalling, Barcelona have emerged as strong candidates to sign the prolific striker in the upcoming transfer window.
FootballTransfers values Lewandowski at €50 million and it is believed that this is the kind of fee it would take for Bayern to consider a deal.
The player himself has spoken previously about a desire to learn a new language and experience a different culture before hanging up his boots, and Martinez believes Lewandowski wants to leave as he has achieved all he can in Germany.
"I would understand that he wants to leave, since he has been in the Bundesliga for 15 years and I imagine that he will want to try a new adventure," he told Jijantes.
"If he had played in La Liga, with the numbers he has achieved in the Bundesliga, I am sure that he would have won at least two Ballon d'Ors."
Lewandowski - the ultimate professional?
Lewandowski is now 33-years-old but is arguably playing the best football of his career.
He is credited for taking extremely good care of himself which is why he is still going strong approaching his mid-30s.
Martinez backs this up, praising his former team-mate's professionalism.
“He is very professional. After training with the team, he also trained at home with his wife and he is very strict with food," Martinez revealed.
“I tried to get him to eat a cookie, but there was no way. He is very strict with food and takes great care of himself.”
Martinez ultimately believes that Lewandowski could leave on a free transfer in a similar way to David Alaba last year, as Bayern will not want to sell him.
"Bayern doesn't need the money, so since they don't want to let him out, they won't," the Spaniard explained.
"It already happened with Alaba, who ended up going to Madrid with the freedom letter."
