‘They have to sell players first’ – La Liga president Tebas rules out Lewandowski move to Barcelona

Gavi and De Jong for sale? 

La Liga president Javier Tebas has cast major doubts over Barcelona’s capacity to sign Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski this summer. The Poland international currently has a market value of €50 million, but reports in Germany have suggested that the player could leave the club for a fee of €40m. However, Tebas doesn’t believe the Catalan giants will be able to match such financial obligations. 

“Barcelona know their economic situation and the rules of La Liga,” said Tobias in an interview at the Europa Press Sports Breakfasts on Tuesday. “I don’t know if they will sell [Frenkie] De Jong or Pedri or Pepito Perez, but they know they have to bring in more money and sell assets. As of today they still can’t sign Lewandowski.” Lewandowski made his intentions perfectly clear on Monday, when the striker announced at a press conference that his time at Bayern was “over” and that he would be pushing for a move away from the club this summer, 12 months before his contract comes to an end. “As of today my story at Bayern is over,” said the senior striker. “After what happened in the last few months I don’t see any chance to continue my career at the club. I hope they don’t make me stay just because they can.”

Stick or switch? Barcelona’s plan to sign Lewandowski 

According to Sport1, Barca have already submitted an €32m offer for Lewandowski but have had no response from the Munich giants. Bayern, reportedly, are holding out for €40m for their star striker and aren’t willing to compromise. But can Barca really afford to spend so much on one player, before even getting to the more expensive topic of wages? 

As Tebas hinted at in his interview, if Barca want to sign Lewandowski they may first have to sell players and according to reports circulating around the club, that could be exactly what the Spanish giants do this summer. Spanish newspaper Sport recently suggested that Liverpool were prepared to pay Gavi’s release clause of €50m this summer, while the Daily Mail in England remain adamant that new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wants to sign former Ajax star Frenkie de Jong. Add to that the strong possibility that forwards like Ousmane Dembélé, Memphis Depay and Martin Braithwaite are all expected to leave Barca this summer too and it seems like the club will be happy to clear out a number of star players to raise the necessary funds to sign Lewandowski in the coming months. 

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