Same old F.C Hollywood?

A story broke on Wednesday night that was largely overlooked by the football media in this country, despite the story having its origins with Sky Italia and which, if true, threatens to detroy the reputation of one of Europe's great success stories of the last three years.

Robert Lewandowski

Bayern Munich have apparently agreed terms with Robert Lewandowski to take the striker from Borussia Dortmund at the end of next season. The story (or rumour) then goes that Lewandowski is waiting for Dortmund to meet these terms and he will stay. It is unlikely that Dortmund will try to match Bayern on purely financial terms, they simply can't. When Shinji Kagawa left Dortmund for Man. United he was on £20,000 a week and he moved for what has been reputed to be a salary between £80-95,000 a week.

Lewandowski is currently on £40,000 a week, this compares with Bayerns Thomas Muller whose latest contract put his salary up to just over £52,000 a week.* Would Lewandowski move within the same league to his clubs biggest rivals for simply more money or would he move because of the chance to play for and work with Pep Guardiola? When Kagawa left for England it was because he felt he had served his time in German football and wanted the chance to play in England, when Lewandowski had this chance just over a year ago he turned down advances from Man. United who turned their attention to a certain Robin Van Persie.

Bayern have been here before of course, hence their nickname F.C Hollywood, the pursuit of rivals best players is as old as the hills, you strengthen your squad whilst weakening that of your rivals. It is something that Arsenal's fans know of only too well, except in reverse. Do Dortmund want to be seen as Bayern's feeder club the same way as Arsenal have provided both Barcelona and Man.City rich pickings over the last decade? If Bayern succeed this time what is to stop them coming back again and again and pursuing Reus, Gotze or Hummels - players who will be the backbone of the German national side for the next decade?

Of course Bayern already have two strikers in the mould of Lewandowski, Mario Gomez and Mario Mandzukic either of whom would get in any English premier league side, with the possible exception of Man Utd. If Pep wants to play the Barcelona way then he already has two players who can play the 'false nine' role in Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos.    

I personally hope that Lewandowski sticks with Dortmund and continues to help develop a side that, despite a sluggish start to this season, have shown they can compete on the field with the best in Germany and beyond. It would be nice to think that for once a footballer would stay with a club for reasons beyond euro signs but I think I may be a little naive in that respect.


* As per 2010 reports of his re-negotiated contract