• Wednesday, 25 September 2024

Munich's Nagelsmann says Lewandowski is in his plans as normal

Munich's Nagelsmann says Lewandowski is in his plans as normal
Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann has refused to be drawn on speculation linking star striker Robert Lewandowski with a move to Barcelona and says the Polish forward is in his plans as normal ahead of the Bundesliga conclusion Saturday.
"The attitude of the club, my attitude to Robert is known, the contract situation is known," Nagelsmann told reporters Friday. "I'm not commenting on all the other topics talked about, those are things you can ask the player and also (director for sport) Hasan (Salihamidzic)." Lewandowski, 33, is entering the last year of his contract with champions Bayern and a new has not yet been agreed. Media reports say he has informed bosses he will not sign an extension though Bayern have, so far, insisted he will not be sold this summer. And club president Herbert Hainer again ruled that out by telling the weekend edition of Munich papers Merkur and tz that "Lewandowski has a contract with Bayern to June 30, 2023. And he will fulfil it." Nagelsmann said his player had "trained very well" this week and would start as usual in the last Bundesliga game of the season at Wolfsburg. "He is in my plans quite as normal," the coach said. However, Nagelsmann will likely be without midfielders Marc Roca and Corentin Tolisso due to illness in Wolfsburg and he said young full back Josip Stanisic would probably start. Right back Noussair Mazraoui is on the brink of joining from Ajax with Nagelsmann saying Bayern were "close to completing" the deal. "We'll be really pleased if we can seal it because he's a really good player," he added. "He said during our first conversation that he would like to play for Bayern - he's really excited to join." Mazraoui's current team-mate Ryan Gravenberch is also a target for Bayern but Nagelsmann said the move for the 19-year-old midfielder "was further away than on the home straight."