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No Bayern move for Lewandowski this year, insist Dortmund

“The matter’s closed and there’s no anger or resentment… if Robert still wants to go to Bayern, he’ll have the chance to do it next year.”

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI WILL not sign for Bayern Munich this year, Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said in an interview published today, amid speculation the Poland striker was eyeing a move to the German and European champions.

“Robert Lewandowski will definitely not be transferred to Bayern in 2013,” Watzke was quoted as saying by the tabloid Bild. “That’s final. We’ve told Robert and his agent.”

Watzke accepted that it was “completely understandable” that players can talk about their future and revealed that he had discussed the matter twice with his counterparts in Munich.

“We explained to Bayern that, if only for financial compliance (as Dortmund is listed on the German stock exchange), we needed a written offer for Lewandowski. But such an offer hasn’t been received yet,” he added.

“The matter’s closed and there’s no anger or resentment… if Robert still wants to go to Bayern, he’ll have the chance to do it next year.”

Lewandowski, 24, told Bild earlier this month that he wanted to leave the beaten Champions League finalists before the start of next season, although he did not specifically mention Bayern. Should Lewandowski leave Dortmund next year, the club would take a financial hit, given that he would no longer be under contract, allowing Bayern — or any other club — to acquire his services for free.

Currently, he is thought to be worth an estimated €25 million. Bayern, runaway winners of last season’s Bundelsiga, as well as the German Cup and Champions League, have already secured the transfer of Dortmund’s young Germany prodigy Mario Goetze for €37m.

© AFP, 2013

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