Barcelona president Joan Laporta had one aim when he took his old job back, and that was to get the Blaugrana back on top in European football after their standard had slipped to an embarrassing and entirely unacceptable level.
Now in 2024/25, Barcelona look almost recognizable to the club that was first kept afloat by Lionel Messi and then later mired in losses during the 2021/22 season after he had left for Paris.
Barcelona are fresh off demolitions of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid – two European powers who consistently had their number over the past five years – and they are by far the favorites to win the Spanish league.
Hansi Flick has turned Barcelona back to its status as appointment television, as with the elite attacking trident of veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, breakout winger Raphinha, and world football’s biggest phenom Lamine Yamal, Barca are the most exciting team in Europe.
Before the season, Laporta had his eyes on a game-changing attacking signing for the future, with AC Milan left winger Rafael Leao and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland viewed as his top two dream transfer targets.
Well, according to a report from Diario Sport, Barcelona and their president are no longer as interested in Haaland, and that’s because Lewandowski is showing that he has a lot still left in the tank.
Now, Barcelona are favoring a solution that involves keeping Lewa around for a few more years, as the Polish international truly loves the club so much that he is willing to take a reduced salary to re-sign.
A few months ago, Lewandowski was mired in transfer rumors after a mediocre 2023/24 campaign, especially in comparison to the highest wages of any striker in La Liga.
Nobody is complaining about Lewandowski’s wages now. He’s outperformed Haaland this season with 14 goals compared to 11 in league play from the Man City man, and that’s not even accounting for the fact that La Liga’s leading goal-scorers have been under the Premier League’s over the past few seasons.
There’s no sense in messing up a good thing or paying an exorbitant transfer fee on a player the club doesn’t need. Lewandowski is showing no signs of slowing down, even at 36, and we all know how seriously he takes his fitness.
Barcelona have time to let a young academy prospect develop behind Lewandowski, and Laporta can focus on saving that money for a major splash on someone else, perhaps a right-footed left winger like Leao, Nico Williams, or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
