Could Robert Lewandowski have pushed himself more at Bayern Munich?

It’s one of German football’s worst kept secrets that Robert Lewandowski has always had his eye on one last move. The Polish striker has defined an era for Bayern Munich, scoring 97 times in just 119 appearances in three-and-a-half seasons for the Bavarians, but speculation over a switch to Real Madrid has bubbled away for years.

Rumours continue to swirl over Lewandowski’s future, with recent reports claiming Bayern Munich are preparing themselves for the striker’s departure at the end of the season. Now 29 years old, the Pole seems to be pushing through the transfer he has wanted for quite some time. Lewandowski has even switched agents, becoming a client of Pina Zahavi, in order to give himself a better chance of sealing a move to Real Madrid.

Robert Lewandowski Poland

Chelsea and Manchester United have also been linked, but by all accounts, Lewandowski only wants a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu. That’s where, as he sees it, the Polish striker can truly reach fullfilment as one of the best players in the European game right now. Real Madrid are a team in transition and he wants to be a big part of that transition.

Lewandowski wants to position himself as a true great, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo. He has always seen himself in that way and a move to Real Madrid as their first Galactico since the then world record signing of Gareth Bale four and a half years ago would help him do that.

In a sense, Lewandowski has wasted his best years to date at Bayern Munich. He has won domestic silverware for fun during his time at the club, but he has been denied the chance to make his mark on the Champions League, where all great players write their legends. One wonders if, with this in mind, the striker rues making the move he did after leaving Borussia Dortmund at that point of his career.

In the time that Lewandowski has spent at the Allianz Arena, Real Madrid have won the Champions League three times. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich haven’t made it past the semi finals since the 2012/13 season. Lewandowski chose to stay in his comfort zone upon leaving Dortmund when he could have challenged himself elsewhere.

This isn’t meant to belittle Lewandowski’s achievements at Bayern Munich, nor is it meant to deride and diminish the quality of the German game as a whole. As previously referenced, he has come to define an era for the Bavarian club, fronting a spell of complete domestic dominance. But his ambition to play for a team like Real Madrid says a lot about the drive of players at the top level.

Players like Lewandowski are motivated by building their brand. His wife Anna Lewandowska has already spoken about this, revealing that the pair are keen on one day making the move to Los Angeles, presumably later in the striker’s career. A summer move to Real Madrid would be the next progression in this. It’s been a long time coming.

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