Robert Lewandowski doesn’t want to play alongside Barcelona attacker who he is not comfortable with: Reports
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski is reportedly unhappy with Ansu Fati and is uncomfortable playing alongside him, according to Catalan outlet El Nacional.
The report adds that the club wants to maximize the talent around the Polish striker and Fati has failed to complement the striker well.
Lewandowski has suffered from a dip in form since the World Cup. The 34-year-old started this season in red-hot form, scoring 12 goals in his first 12 games.
Since then, however, he has not been able to replicate the same goalscoring touch. He has been poor in big games which has seen the Blaugrana get knocked out of the Europa League and the Copa del Rey.
The striker is considered a key member of the Barcelona squad. Thus, they are looking to complement his talents well. However, they have suffered from inconsistent play on both wings this season and could well make changes to improve the situation.
In this regard, Fati could be on the move from the Camp Nou. The attacker began the campaign hopeful of brushing away his injury troubles but has seemingly lost some of his pace and skill. The heir to Lionel Messi's No. 10 shirt, the 20-year-old's future with Barcelona now looks uncertain.
The club are in the midst of a financial crisis and are looking to offload players to reduce their wage bill. Fati seems to have a strained relationship with Lewandowski, with reports that the striker was unhappy with the youngster following the club's loss to Manchester United in the Europa League. If Fati cannot regain his touch, he could surely be on the move this summer.
Barcelona reportedly close deal for Manchester City midfielder
Ilkay Gundogan is set to join Barcelona on a two-year deal, according to Ferran Correas of Spanish outlet Sport. This comes after the German's uncle and agent Ilhan Gundogan was spotted with club director Mateu Alemany.
With Manchester City displaying no interest in renewing Gundogan's contract, which is set to expire this summer, the Blaugrana have jumped ahead to secure his signature. The report adds that the midfielder will join on a two-year deal worth €12 million per season.
While the Blaugrana hold a long-standing interest in Gundogan's teammate Bernardo Silva, the German comes as a much more cost-effective option. His experience, along with his ability to play different positions in the midfield, is valued by Barcelona.