Robert Lewandowski has been criticised by Bayern Munich chief Oliver Kahn after he publicly announced his desire to leave the German champions.
Bayern have been desperate to keep hold of the striker for another year when his contract will expire amid strong interest from Barcelona. The Catalan club have made the Poland international their top target going into the summer.
There have been strong rumours that Lewandowski was ready to call time on his Bavarian career and he has now explicitly come out and revealed his intentions. “My story with Bayern has come to an end, I cannot imagine further good cooperation,” he said. “I hope they will not stop me (from leaving) just because they can. A transfer is the best solution for everyone.”
But Lewandowski's comments have left a sour taste in the mouths at Bayern Munich, where they have not been so pleased to hear their star man humiliate them. Club director Kahn was left furious with what had been said and responding in damning fashion.
He said: “I can't tell you why Robert chose this way to communicate his situation. Public statements like that don't get you anywhere. Robert should know what he has at Bayern. Appreciation is not a one-way street."
How this will affect any transfer plans this summer remains to be seen while Bayern have already identified a replacement in Liverpool star Sadio Mane. The Senegal international will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Where should Lewandowski go this summer? Comment below
The 30-year-old has informed the Reds that he is ready to end his Anfield career after six years at the club. Bayern believe Mane could be the answer should they fail to keep Lewandowski for another year.
The Polish star has been in sensational form in recent years, scoring 98 times over two seasons. In the Ballon d'Or, the 33-year-old came second behind Lionel Messi.
He has won eight consecutive Bundesliga titles since leaving Borussia Dortmund for Bayern on a free transfer in 2014. He also fired FCB to Champions League glory in 2020.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has urged his old club to keep Mane despite the strong interest from Munich. He said: “As a Liverpool fan you want them to stay. You want your best players to stay and they have proved themselves as two of Liverpool’s best players.
“I would suggest that the Liverpool model and recruitment strategy is that they anticipate the players being there at the same time as anticipating them not being there. With the latter, they will anticipate the next acquisition – like [Luis] Diaz coming in during January. They will already have something in place, then you have to look at the individuals."
