FC Barcelona Now Await Lewandowski Decision Following Positive Meetings

FC Barcelona are now waiting for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski to make his mind up on his future following two positive meetings with the player’s agent Pino Zahavi, according to reports.

Lewandowski is fast becoming Barca’s top target in the upcoming summer transfer window, with the Catalans probably priced out of an approach for his Bundesliga rival at Borussia Dortmund, Erling Haaland, who would cost in excess of $300mn to land when his release clause, salary and agent commissions have all been factored in.

Barca have reportedly put aside a far smaller €50-60mn ($55-65mn) to get the Poland national team captain, and have been buoyed by a pair of recent meetings with Zahavi with whom club president Joan Laporta maintains a good relationship say SPORT.

Reports have already circled that Lewandowski has accepted Barca’s offer for the Ballon d’Or hopeful to don Blaugrana, but there are concerns that his current club Bayern might return to their star frontman with an improved offer to renew terms beyond 2023 when his present arrangement expires.

Zahavi alerted Barca that Bayern were having trouble getting ‘Lewa’ to sign on the dotted line. In short, despite being 33, the reigning two-time recipient of FIFA’s The Best award wants a new contract of at least three years in length regardless of where he ends up, as he believes he still has plenty to offer at the top level while in fantastic shape thanks to impeccable professionalism and the help of his nutritionist wife Anna.

Barca apparently put the total cost of the Lewandowski coup at around €100mn ($109mn) all in, which is three times less than what it will take to secure the services of Haaland and a far more realistic prospect for an outfit currently mired in around $1.5bn’s worth of debt.

Laporta and his vice president Rafa Yuste have continually gone on record saying they will not compromise the club’s future by aiming too high, and there are also concerns about Haaland’s recent history of picking up injuries. But the latter is something that has never been an issue with Lewandowski, who has never missed a full month of action with a knock as most niggles ruled him out for just a few days at a time.

SPORT also say that they are waiting for Haaland to make up his mind on his next destination too, and if that isn’t FC Barcelona, the club will immediately ramp up their efforts to sign Lewandowski.