Lewan links up with Barca in $50m deal

Barcelona said Tuesday the fee to acquire striker Robert Lewandowski could reach 50 million euros ($50.2 million) until 2027.

The Spanish club said it will pay Bayern Munich 45 million euros plus 5 million euros in variables for the transfer of the prolific Poland player.

The buyout clause for the 33-year-old Lewandowski will be set at 500 million euros on a contract valid for four seasons.

He is set to sign the contract on Wednesday in Miami, where Barcelona kicked off its four-match US tour with a 6-0 thrashing of David Beckham's Inter Miami on Tuesday.

The final agreement comes three days after the clubs announced a preliminary deal for the striker who was voted FIFA player of the year in 2020 and 2021.

He is the Catalan side's fourth signing of the summer after Franck Kessie (AC Milan) and Andreas Christensen (Chelsea) arrived as free agents while Rapinha cost 70 million euros from Leeds United.

The agreement between Barca and Bayern closed the standoff with the player who said at the end of May "it is certain that my story with Bayern has come to an end".

He arrives to boost a Barcelona team that did not win any titles last season following the departure of Argentina great Lionel Messi. The club has been slowly rebuilding its squad after enduring financial struggles in recent seasons.

Lewandowski said after joining his new teammates in Florida that he hopes "to put the team back at the top of European football".

Bayern had only offered Lewandowski a one-year extension to his contract, which expires in the summer of 2023. He was also unhappy with the salary offered and had clashed with head coach Julian Nagelsmann over tactical choices.

He left Bayern after eight years with one Champions League and eight Bundesliga titles.

Lewandowski passed his medical on Monday, a day after arriving in the US.

His official signing and presentation were originally scheduled for Monday but it was delayed for an unspecified reason.

Brazilian Raphinha marked his Barca debut with a goal and two assists against Inter Miami. The team's US tour also includes matches against Real Madrid in Las Vegas, Juventus in Dallas, and the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey.

Agencies