While Eintracht Frankfurt, the club of Riedau head coach Oliver Glasner, and Glasgow Rangers were playing for the Europa League title in Seville when this issue went to print yesterday, the wires behind the scenes were running hot at many clubs. True to the motto: “A kingdom for a goalscorer”. Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski has made no secret of wanting to leave FC Bayern before his contract expires in the summer of 2023. The 33-year-old, who is said to be in close contact with FC Barcelona, firmly rejects an extension of the working paper.
Who should pay for this?
“It’s quite possible that it was my last game for FC Bayern,” said the man who had scored 50 goals in 46 competitive games for Bayern Munich this season after the 2-2 draw in Wolfsburg. The question is whether ‘Barca’ can even afford Lewandowski. The financial situation of the Catalans, who have accumulated a mountain of debt of almost 1.3 billion euros in recent years, remains tense. “Lewandowski? The club is working to make the team as good as possible next year. It’s not easy, we come from a very difficult economic situation,” explained Barca President Joan Laporta.
Lewandowski’s advisor Pini Zahavi is said to have reached an oral agreement with the Spanish runners-up. It’s about a three-year contract with a fee of 30 million euros. In addition, there would be a rumored 40 million that would have to flow to FC Bayern as a transfer fee. The question is: who should pay for it?
Munich threatens to lose not only Lewandowski, but also Serge Gnabry, whose contract, which also expires in the summer of 2023, has not yet been extended. The German attacking international is associated with Liverpool FC. Bayern, with their sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, who is increasingly under pressure, are forced to act. In the tug of war over Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, who opted for Manchester City, the “Reds” from Säbener Straße had no chance.
Does he blow up the salary structure?
Let’s see if Bayern can persuade Ousmane Dembele, whose contract with FC Barcelona is expiring, to make a move. The 25-year-old winger, who is also interested in Paris Saint-Germain and some top English clubs, should be able to imagine an engagement with the German champions. Also because the Munich team has a number of French compatriots (Coman, Pavard, Hernandez, Tolisso) in their ranks who have only had good things to say about the German record champions. The hook? Currently, Dembele earns 20-24 million euros at ‘Barca’. Should he keep these dimensions, the national player would blow up the salary structure at Bayern and be the top earner right away. What will Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller say about it?
Kalajdzic is very popular
Austria’s two-meter-tall team striker Sasa Kalajdzic (contract until summer 2023, market value 22 million euros), who wants to say goodbye to VfB Stuttgart after staying up in the league, is a bit cheaper. For the Swabians it is the last chance to collect a handsome transfer fee.
VfB sports director Sven Mislintat praises the 24-year-old attacker, who has scored six goals in 15 league matches, in the highest tones. “Sasa showed not only in Stuttgart, but also at the European Championships that he is one of the top center strikers in Europe.” Bayern know that too. Kalajdzic himself is still covered: “The hot days are coming, nothing concrete yet.”
Real Madrid in pole position
Kylian Mbappe’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires in June, and the 23-year-old world champion is spoiled for choice. Spotted in Madrid a few weeks ago, a move to Real would not come as a surprise. But Liverpool FC has also set their sights on the lightning-fast Frenchman. “Of course we’re interested in Kylian. We’re not blind, he’s a great striker,” said Jürgen Klopp, the successful coach of the “Reds”, where ex-Salzburg Sadio Mane is considered a transfer candidate. The 30-year-old Senegalese is associated with FC Bayern. Everything is possible, nothing fixed.
Source: Nachrichten
