Barcelona have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich for the signing of striker Robert
Lewandowski for £42.5m (€50m).
Lewandowski is still in Munich and will fly to Miami on
Sunday, where Barcelona will begin their pre-season tour, for a medical before signing
his three-year contract, which contains an option for a further 12 months.
The Poland
international had just one year remaining on his Bayern contract and had told the club
he would not renew his deal.
"I didn't have much time to prepare for it. It all went
very quickly to say goodbye to everyone!" Lewandowski told Sky Germany after agreeing
his move.
"These eight years were special and you don't forget that. I had a great time
in Munich.
"I will fly soon but after the training camp I will come back and say
goodbye properly and organise a few things. I said goodbye to the boys on the field
today, I wasn't worried about an injury in training. Something can happen to me at
home. I wanted to keep fit and trained with the boys again."
Up until now the German
champions had insisted Lewandowski was not for sale and turned down a €40m (£33.8m)
offer from Barcelona last month.
However, Lewandowski's departure would help Bayern to
finance the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus, who have priced the centre-back
at around €80m (£67.7m) plus bonuses, according to Sky in Italy.
Hasan Salihamidzic,
Bayern's sporting director, was in Turin on Monday to open negotiations for De Ligt
with Juventus. The Dutchman has two years remaining on his Juve contract and is
reported to have told the Italian club he is keen to move to Munich.
Image: Juventus
have priced centre-back Matthijs de Ligt at around €80m (£67.7m) plus bonuses amid
interest from Bayern Munich
Chelsea have also been tracking De Ligt this summer as they
try to replace Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, who both left on free transfers
but are set to complete a deal for Kalidou Koulibaly.
Lewandowski: The numbers do not
lie
Lewandowski has been with Bayern since 2014 and has scored 344 goals for the club
in 375 appearances across all competitions.
He has helped Bayern to eight Bundesliga
titles in the last eight seasons, as well as three German cups, and has just been
crowned the league's top scorer for the fifth season in a row after netting 35 goals in
34 Bundesliga games in 2024/22.
Why Barcelona were so keen to sign Lewandowski
Sky in
Germany reporter Marc Behrenbeck:
"Xavi desperately wants a world-class striker who can
guarantee 30 or more goals a season. A two or three-year contract is in the making with
a salary of about €35m to €40m (£30m to £34m) a year.
"Barcelona are not able to pay
high fees but high salaries. It was always a dream for Lewandowski to play in Spain -
either Real Madrid or Barcelona."
'Lewandowski is a pure goal machine'
Spanish football
expert Graham Hunter on Sky Sports News:
Please use Chrome browser for a more
accessible video player Spanish football expert Graham Hunter explains how Barcelona
can afford their summer signings and their financial situation.
"It is not signed -
both camps are briefing it is done, Lewandowski has not said to Bayern Munich for
several weeks now 'I'm not coming back, it does not matter what you do.'
"He also told
his agent, Pini Zahavi, to reject overtures from PSG and Chelsea to get this deal over
the line.
"So until it is signed, there should be a little bit of caution, but we can
take it that it is going to happen.
"Since Xavi has taken over, Barcelona have been
scoring for fun and now they have added Raphinha, Dembele is staying, Feran Torres,
Aubameyang and now Lewandowski, who has scored 344 goals in 375 games for Bayern and
whose passport age is irrelevant - he is 33, turns 34 in August - he plays like a
28-year-old.
"So you could argue in pure football terms, this is a pure goal machine
with a good supply, but also in the rebuilding of FC Barcelona, they are bringing in an
ultra professional, someone with a willing mentality.
"When a club is rebuilding, you
do not just look for people with particular specialisms, but who can teach and set an
example to everyone else and Lewandowski is that man."
Follow the summer transfer
window with Sky Sports
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opens on June 10 and closes at 11pm on September 1?
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