Barcelona star not happy at Catalan side and is keen on leaving - Reports
According to El Nacional, Barcelona superstar Robert Lewandowski appears dissatisfied with his experience at the Catalan club, raising speculations about a possible exit. Arriving at Barca with great fanfare, he was poised to be the driving force of a dynamic and triumphant team.
Unfortunately, his debut season was sub-par for him, as they clinched only the La Liga title. They faltered in both the Champions League and Europa League, with losses to Manchester United. The club's failures extended to the Copa del Rey as well, where they were ousted by Real Madrid in the semifinals.
With expectations unmet, Lewandowski is hopeful that the second season will be a turnaround, yet optimism seems scarce. The lack of significant alterations to the team, along with the limited star addition of Ilkay Gundogan, have left the Polish striker worried.
Key players like Sergio Busquets and Ousmane Dembele have departed, leaving the Blaugrana seemingly behind in the race for the Champions League title. Powerhouses like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich have notably upgraded with a number of signings, enhancing their odds of victory.
Lewandowski plans to endure the current season, placing faith in the Camp Nou project. However, if the club continues to fall short of its goals, he may entertain offers from Saudi Arabia, where lucrative opportunities await.
The striker's financial concessions to join Barcelona have not yet been reciprocated with silverware, adding to his discontent. The club's recent interest in other stars like Lionel Messi or Neymar has also not sat well with Lewandowski, who does not want his influence to wane in the dressing room.
Joao Cancelo on the brink of Barcelona move in potential loan deal
According to AS, Barcelona's pursuit of right-wing-back Joao Cancelo could soon be fulfilled. The Blaugrana are nearing an agreement with Manchester City for a loan with an option to buy.
Cancelo's enthusiasm to play for the La Liga club has been instrumental in this development, and the move is expected to resolve Barca's right-back dilemma.
The desire for Cancelo to be part of Camp Nou's lineup is not new. During the January transfer window, the club was keen on signing him, but he eventually went on loan to Bayern Munich. This decision led to a public disagreement between Xavi Hernandez and Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.
The Barca coach openly accused the City boss of hindering the signing, to which Guardiola responded, asserting that Xavi was misinformed about the situation (via AS):
“Xavi has been very badly informed. He is far from the reality. The reality was that we decided that he had to leave and we didn’t care where he went. I won’t say he (Xavi) was misled, but he was misinformed.”
With a contract at City until 2027 and a valuation of €50 million, the loan with an option to buy seems to be a strategic move for Barcelona. This anticipated addition to Barcelona's roster could potentially improve the team's performance this season.