Robert Lewandowski has scored 342 goals for Bayern since joining from rivals Dortmund
Robert Lewandowski has scored 342 goals for Bayern since joining from rivals Dortmund

Robert Lewandowski has reportedly decided to leave Bayern Munich amid heavy links with La Liga giants FC Barcelona.

Lewandowski has just a year left on his current deal and the Polish forward has decided not to sign a contract extension with the Bundesliga champions, reported Goal. However, International Business Times could not verify it independently.

Earlier, Bayern Munich were keen on retaining Lewandowski, who scored 49 goals this season and netted 48 goals last term. However, the Allianz Arena club is now expected to sell Lewandowski if they receive an offer of around $36 million-$41 million, a fee that Barcelona are willing to pay, according to German outlet BILD.

The former Borussia Dortmund forward is pushing for a change. He currently earns around $24 million per season at Bayern Munich, whereas, Barcelona could offer him wages between $31 million and $36 million, which would be a significant rise in pay for the veteran playmaker.

Lewandowski's adviser Pini Zahavi has reportedly told Barcelona that Bayern Munich are aware of his client's contract situation and will soon open up for negotiations with the Catalan club. The talks between the two clubs are expected to begin in the coming week. Even though the Bundesliga club is being patient with Lewandowski's situation, they are still looking to convince him to stay.

However, Bayern would not want to force Lewandowski to stay for another year against his will. They could also risk losing the star forward for free next summer.

Lewandowski began his first-team career in the 2008-09 season. After spending a couple of years in Polish soccer, the Poland national joined Dortmund in the 2010 summer market. He spent four seasons at Signal Iduna Park, scoring 103 goals and 43 assists in 187 competitive appearances. In the summer of 2014, Lewandowski joined Dortmund's Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

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Photo: AFP / Christof STACHE

The 33-year-old forward has been with Bayern for eight seasons now, helping them win so many trophies, including the coveted UEFA Champions League in the 2019-20 campaign.