Robert Lewandowski reportedly makes final decision on Barcelona future amid potential January departure
Robert Lewandowski has been the man of the moment for FC Barcelona, working his way back into the starting lineup and returning to top form as questions continue to swirl about his contract situation. With speculation increasing over a potential January exit, the Polish striker has reportedly made a final call on his future at the club.
Lewandowski’s deal is set to expire at the end of the season, raising doubts about his long-term continuity at Barcelona. His future was also put into serious doubt with reports linking him to a January move, with AC Milan and several Turkish clubs reportedly interested on signing the striker ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
According to Fabrizio Romano, it is impossible for Robert Lewandowski to leave Barcelona in January. Despite drawing interest from multiple clubs and with no progress made so far on a new deal, both the striker and Barca share the same objective: Lewandowski will remain with the team for the entire 2025–26 campaign.
Additionally, rumors surfaced suggesting that if Barcelona chose not to extend his contract, Lewandowski might consider retiring. But Romano has dismissed those claims as well, reporting that the veteran forward still intends to continue playing, whether at Barcelona or elsewhere, with retirement not being an option at this stage.
While a short-term exit is off the table, there remains a concrete possibility that Lewandowski leaves the club at the end of the season, when the four-year contract he signed in 2022 expires. For now, his focus remains on delivering his best for both Barcelona and the Poland national team with the 2026 World Cup European playoffs approaching, and with a final decision expected, at least, for next June.
Lewandowski, the best striker of the last decade for coach Flick
After battling fitness issues and injuries, Lewandowski’s influence faded early in the season, with Ferran Torres, and at times Marcus Rashford, filling in at striker. But since returning to full strength, the Polish star has reestablished himself in the starting XI, showing no signs of decline.
Against Celta Vigo before the November international break, Lewandowski became one of the oldest players to score a hat trick in La Liga, quickly reclaiming his place in the lineup. On Saturday, in his sixth start of the season, he opened the scoring in Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou against Athletic Bilbao, earning a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 64th minute.
In his post-match press conference, head coach Hansi Flick praised Lewandowski’s form with a striking endorsement: “He’s important. He’s a player who, when he has a chance, almost 100% he’ll score. It was very important today to score early to give us the confidence we needed, and for me, I think he is, in the last 10 years, one of the best, or maybe the best number 9. It has nothing to do with age. He’s fit, and he has the hunger to score goals.“