Robert Lewandowski: 'My era at Bayern Munich is over'
Robert Lewandowksi seems adamant on leaving Bayern Munich, and his recent press conference while away with the Poland national team seems to confirm that.
The forward has been linked with a move away from the club with negotiations over a new contract having hit a wall, and Barcelona are interested in bringing the forward over to the Camp Nou.
In recent weeks, the player’s agent, Pini Zahavi, has been talking about the unprofessional behaviour from Bayern bosses when discussing the possibility over an extension.
Zahavi said that Oliver Kahn, the club’s CEO and Hasan Salihamidzic, their Sporting Director, didn’t seem as eager to extend Lewandowski’s deal, and that has encouraged a potential transfer away.
Lewandowski confirms desire to leave
Now, though, Lewandowski seemed to confirm that his time at Bayern Munich is over and is hoping the club will comply to his demands: “My era at Bayern Munich is over. I don’t see any possibility to continue playing for this club anymore.”
“Bayern is a serious club and I hope they will not keep me only because they can do it. A transfer is the best solution. I hope they don’t stop me.” Lewandowski said during a press conference while away on international duty.
Earlier in May, Bayern President Herber Hainer said that there would be no move for Lewandowski, as he wished for the forward to fulfill his contract, which runs until 2023.
“There is no substitute for such a world-class player,” Hainer said. “He has a contract, so I assume he fulfils it. It is his right not to extend his contract.”
Lewandowski joined Bayern Munich in 2014 and has scored 344 goals in 375 matches, earning the right to be labelled as one of the all-time great Bosman transfers, having joined from Borussia Dortmund for no transfer fee.
Robert Lewandowski has scored 161 league goals in 157 games since the start of the 2017/18 season. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/AVCPvCZWlg
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 30, 2022
In that time, he has won eight Bundesliga titles, as well as one Champions League and three DFB Pokal honours, while scoring less than 40 goals in a season just once in his eight campaigns at the Allianz Arena.
He also broke the all-time single-season scoring record for the Bundesliga when he scored 41 times in the 2020-21 campaign – a record that will be hard to beat.
In the 2020-21 campaign, Lewandowski scored 50 goals in 46 appearances, but there were reports over disagreements with coach Julian Nagelsmann’s tactical approach.
That led to interest from Barcelona, with Xavi keen to bring him to the club, and a move could well be possible this summer.