"This howling is annoying"- Markus Babbel slams Manchester United target Robert Lewandowski for frequently flirting with the idea of leaving Bayern Munich
Manchester United are targeting the signing of Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski this summer.
Lewandowski is possibly the best number nine in the game at the moment, alongside Real Madrid's Karim Benzema.
The Polish striker has been in fine form over the last few seasons and came agonizingly close to winning the 2021 Ballon d'Or.
His current contract with Bayern runs till 2023 and the player has, on several occasions, hinted at leaving the club.
Manchester United are aware of Robert Lewandowski’s situation and have asked about him. However, it’s far from advanced at this stage. #MUFC [@Plettigoal]
Former Bayern Munich defender Markus Babbel is unimpressed with Lewandowski's frequent transfer shenanigans. He told Sky Germany (reported via Express):
"This howling is annoying. It is said that the appreciation is not enough for him, I can no longer hear that. No player has received as much appreciation as Lewandowski gets from the Bavarians in the last 20 years."
Babbel added:
"There have also been times when he wanted to leave permanently, the relationship with the club was not particularly great at times. Nevertheless, FC Bayern stood by him because they think an insane amount of him.”
Robert Lewandowski is not for sale and will not leave Bayern Munich this summer. Bayern are in fact not considering a sale under any circumstances, and Lewandowski accepts this position, will not push for a transfer and will continue playing as normal [@kerry_hau, @goal] https://t.co/fNNbdmqOF3
German legend Lothar Matthaus took a different take on the matter, blaming the club for not extending Lewandowski's contract already.
"If you haven’t contacted Lewandowski’s side until now, I find that disrespectful. That would have been unthinkable under Hoeness or Rummenigge,” Matthaus told Sport Bild. “Bayern can count itself lucky that Lewandowski has such a great character and is a full-fledged professional."
As for the player himself, Lewandowski had said in the first week of March:
“I am open to everything. I'm quiet. It is important for me to be able to focus on my game, always on what can happen in the last match. Everything that remains to be done regarding the contracts is a secondary issue and remains in the background.”
Do Manchester United need a new striker?
The Red Devils currently have Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani as strikers in their ranks.
Anthony Martial, who is away on loan at Sevilla, will return to Manchester United in the summer but his future post that is still unclear. Mason Greenwood is currently suspended by the club as he is undergoing a legal trial for a sexual harassment case.
Cavani is set to leave Manchester United this summer. Rashford's form has dropped heavily and he is no longer a reliant first-team player.
It leaves them with 37-year-old Ronaldo as the only recognized starter, and signing a new forward would be a smart move for Manchester United. Whether they can land Lewandowski, however, remains to be seen.