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In "Lewandowski. Prawdziwy" ("Lewandowski. The Real One”), author Sebastian Staszewski has alleged that Barcelona urged Lewandowski to stop scoring goals. With two matches still to play and Barcelona already crowned league champions under then-manager Xavi Hernandez, the meeting reportedly took a strange turn. According to Staszewski, Lewandowski was summoned for discussions with several high-ranking executives shortly after Barcelona mathematically sealed the title. At that moment, he led the league’s scoring chart with 23 goals, comfortably ahead of the competition. Then came the request.

"Robert, we need you to stop scoring goals in the last two matches," a board member said.

The Polish striker was stunned to hear that unusual request. In his decades-long career, no club had ever asked him to hold back. But the reasoning was not tactical, but financial.

Barcelona, who are still wrestling with significant financial constraints, had a clause to consider. If Lewandowski reached 25 league goals, they would owe Bayern Munich an additional €2.5 million in performance-related add-ons from his transfer. With the league title wrapped up and budgets stretched thin, the club allegedly opted for the unorthodox and ethically questionable approach of trying to protect their balance sheet. Lewandowski played both the remaining matches in full but did not score in either. He still won the Pichichi Trophy, which is La Liga’s top scorer award, finishing above Karim Benzema.

Italian outlet Calciomercato has reported that AC Milan are preparing a fresh and more serious attempt to sign the 37-year-old forward next summer. The Rossoneri have pencilled Lewandowski in as a priority target for June, believing that his presence could fast-track their ambitious rebuild under Massimiliano Allegri. Meetings have already taken place between Milan sporting director Igli Tare and Lewandowski’s influential agent, Pini Zahavi. The next meeting between the parties is expected to focus on the elephant in the room, which is wages. Lewandowski currently earns around €20 million net per season at Barcelona, almost three times the salary of Milan’s highest-paid player, Rafael Leao. Matching that figure is impossible for the Italians, but they hope the striker’s priorities have shifted toward competitive football and project stability. Meanwhile, Barcelona appear to be moving toward a new attacking era. The club are evaluating long-term replacements, with names such as Dusan Vlahovic, Julian Alvarez, and Levante’s rising prospect Karl Etta Eyong all reportedly circulating in recruitment discussions.

For all the speculation about his age and future role, Lewandowski continues to demonstrate his value on the pitch. Even in a season where he has not been guaranteed a starter’s role, he remains Barcelona’s leading scorer in La Liga with seven goals, ahead of Fermin Lopez, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres. Last week’s hat-trick against Celta Vigo pushed him to 106 goals in 159 appearances for the Catalan club, overtaking Neymar in Barcelona’s all-time scoring list. His debut campaign was extraordinary, when he scored 42 goals in 52 games across competitions. This season, seven goals in nine league outings prove that his finishing instincts remain razor sharp.

Despite the swirling transfer talk, those close to Lewandowski note that he and his family feel deeply settled in Barcelona. In an interview withESPN,he himself admitted: "It doesn't matter how many titles you have already won. The most important thing is how many titles you want to win. In my mind I know that I can improve again so many things. I love football, I love this team, I love this club. I still feel physically very well. I don't have any problem with this [age] because I don't feel it. I'm proud that I'm going to be 37 years old. But I still know that I can achieve my goals. I can help my team-mates because I'm still hungry for more."

His contract runs until June 2026, but Barcelona have yet to clarify his long-term role or commit to any extension. For a player of his stature, the waiting game is unfamiliar, and a decision might soon be on the cards.

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