Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has informed the club’s boss that he wants to leave and not extend his contract with the German champions, Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of Bayern’s final game of the Bundesliga season at VfL Wolfsburg, Salihamidzic confirmed widespread reports that the Bundesliga’s second-highest all-time scorer could be on his way out despite having a contract until 2023.
The player has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona.
“I spoke with Lewa. In that discussion he informed me that he does not want to accept our offer to extend the contract and that we would like to leave the club,” Salihamidzic told Sky Germany.
“He said he wants to do something else. But our position has not changed. The fact is he has a contract to June 30, 2023.”
The 33-year-old Pole joined in 2014 from Borussia Dortmund and has won the German league title every year since then as well as the Champions League in 2020.
A crowd favourite, the forward was on target in Saturday’s season-ending 2-2 at VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga to take his tally to 35 league goals as he won the league’s top scorer trophy for the fifth consecutive season.
He also scored 13 goals in this season’s Champions League.
Salihamidzic said so far there had been no talks with other clubs. Barcelona coach Xavi, when asked about Lewandowski on Saturday, refused to comment on the media reports but said the age of a player was not a problem.
“I am not going to talk about Lewandowski now,” when asked about the player’s age. “But I should remind you, I agreed to sign Dani Alves at 38. All we care about is the professional mentality.
“Players are taking better care of themselves. Age isn’t a priority. If they improve us, that’s what’s important.”
Lewandowski’s goals helped Bayern win their 10th successive league title but they were eliminated early in the German Cup and crashed out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
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