Didn't leave Bayern Munich because of potential Erling Haaland transfer: Robert Lewandowski

There were suggestions that Robert Lewandowski's decision to leave Bayern Munich was inspired by the club's pursuit of Erling Haaland last season. Lewandowski, after completing a switch to Barcelona, has clarified that Bayern's interest in Haaland had nothing to do with his decision to leave the German giants for Barcelona.
Robert Lewandowski has opened up on his decision to leave Bayern Munich

Robert Lewandowski has opened up on his decision to leave Bayern Munich

Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Robert Lewandowski decided to leave Bayern Munich for Barcelona in the summer for a reported EUR 50 million.
  • Lewandowski was reportedly unhappy with Bayern's pursuit of Erling Haaland.
  • The Pole, however, has denied the rumours, suggesting his reasons to leave were quite different.
The Robert Lewandowski transfer saga was one of the most debated topics in world football this summer. After several rounds of 'poker game' between Bayern Munich and Barcelona, the Polish forward managed to secure a transfer to Spain for a reported fee of 50 million Euros.
Lewandowski, until a couple of months ago, was keen to extend his stay at Bayern, a club where he has enjoyed the best days of his career. However, contract negotiations with the club weren't as productive as one would've anticipated. With a transfer to Barcelona now sealed, Lewandowski has opened up on the saga.
It was rumoured that one of the biggest reasons behind Lewandowski's decision to leave was Bayern's attempt to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund. Though Haaland eventually decided to join Manchester City in the Premier League, there are claims that Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had approached him over a switch to Munich.
This news had allegedly not gone down well with Lewandowski, who then decided to part ways with the German giants. But now, the 33-year-old striker has rubbished these rumours.
"No, my departure had nothing to do with Erling (Haaland). I am a guy who even if something's not good for me - truth is more important. I don't want to speak about what happened exactly," Lewandowski said in an interview with ESPN FC.
"But if the question is if the decision to move was because of him, no, I didn't see a problem if he joined Bayern Munich. But some kind of people don't say to me the truth, they say something different"
"And for me it was always important to be clear, to stay true, and maybe for a few people that was the problem. And in the end I know that something doesn't work well with my person as well and I knew that".
The 2-time FIFA The Best winner further accused the Bayern management of playing 'politics' on a number of occasions over the course of the contract negotiation.
"So I feel that I'm in the right position, right place. So everything that's happened in the last maybe few weeks before I left Bayern Munich, that was also of course a lot of politics. The club tried to find an argument why they can sell me to another club because before it was difficult to explain maybe to the fans.
"And I had to accept that even though it was a lot of bulls***, a lot of s*** said about me. Not true, but in the end I knew that the fans, even in this period, still support me a lot."
Lewandowski then went public with his decision to leave Bayern. Though initially, the club suggested that he wasn't for sale, eventually an agreement was reached with Barca as Lewandowski remained hell-bent on leaving.
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