Liverpool partly have Robert Lewandowski to curse for Sadio Mane calling time on his Anfield career this summer, after Bayern Munich identified the Senegal international as the perfect replacement for their prolific striker.
Having burst onto the scene in Germany with Jurgen Klopp 's Borussia Dortmund over a decade ago, the Poland international joined Bayern in the summer of 2014. And despite being on the verge of his 34th birthday, he has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to plunder goals for fun and remains one of the planet’s deadliest finishers.
Scoring 447 goals from 562 games during his 12 seasons in Germany, winning every major honour on offer to him along the way, Lewandowski was understandably hungry for a new challenge and, having always wanted to play in La Liga, forced through a move to Barcelona last month as a result.
Liverpool had tentatively been linked with Lewandowski in the past but there was never any possibility of a reunion with Klopp for the striker, with the veteran deciding Barcelona was the only move for him. And while his own wantaway desires ignited a transfer merry-go-round including Mane, there was no hard feelings back on Merseyside.
Quoted by Sport , the 33-year-old revealed that his former Bayern team-mate, Thiago Alcantara, had been in contact with him after he joined the Catalans, with the Reds midfielder starting his own career at Camp Nou. However, he admits he didn’t speak to his former manager Pep Guardiola about the switch.
“Guardiola's philosophy and his style of caring for and managing the team I think basically was Barca at Bayern Munich,” he said. “Xavi is very similar to Guardiola. They were both '6', they worked together. They think football in the same way. With that memory in mind, Barca was the only option for me and it was a great preparation when I was there.
"I didn't talk to Guardiola before signing. But when I was with him at Bayern it was like a great preparation to get to Barca one day. All the staff were Spanish, there were eight Spanish players. During that period I had a very good relationship with Thiago and Javi Martinez. Both of them congratulated me when I signed for Barca.
"I've always wanted to play in La Liga, live in Spain, see what life is like here. 12 years in Germany is a long time. I achieved everything there. I didn't want to stand in front of the mirror in 12 years and say to myself: 'Why haven't you tried?’ There would be a lot of unanswered questions.”
READ NEXT
Trent Alexander-Arnold will listen to Jurgen Klopp advice others at Liverpool ignored
Liverpool have solution to Thiago Alcantara problem that Darwin Nunez will love
Rio Ferdinand names three Liverpool players he 'hated' and 'didn't like'
Liverpool have just found their own 'David Beckham who is ready to shock everybody'
'Maybe I was for Liverpool' - Gini Wijnaldum makes Mohamed Salah transfer admission
