The Robert Lewandowski transfer saga is almost over.
Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer said Saturday that the Bundesliga club has agreed to sell the prolific Polish scorer to Barcelona.
“We have come to a verbal agreement with Barcelona. It’s good to have clarity for all parties,” he said.
“Robert is an incredible player and he won everything with us. We are incredibly grateful to him.”
Confirmation of Lewandowski’s impending departure ends months of speculation over the 33-year-old’s future. He publicly expressed his desire to leave after eight seasons but Bayern officials were initially reluctant to part with their star forward and expressed doubts over Barcelona’s ability to afford such a transfer.
But, despite their financial restraints, Barcelona matched Bayern’s asking price, worth up to €50 million, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.
“Robert deserved a new chapter – I want to thank Bayern. (Hasan) Salihamidzic, (Mateu) Alemany and I were on the phone non-stop on Friday until midnight to find a good solution for all parties,” Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi, told Sky Sport, as translated by Romano.
An official announcement is expected to be made this weekend.
Lewandowski, who joined Bayern from Borussia Dortmund in 2014, ended the 2021-22 campaign with 50 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions.
He was pivotal in helping Bayern win the Bundesliga in each of the eight seasons he spent in Munich, and he led the German side to a Champions League triumph in 2020.