Robert Lewandowski arrives back at Bayern Munich

Robert Lewandowski has returned to pre-season training at Bayern Munich, weeks on from telling them he wants to leave the club this summer.

The Bayern Munich star shocked the Bundesliga giants following the end of the season by expressing his desire to exit after eight years.

Barcelona are in hot pursuit of the forward but an agreement is yet to materialise, forcing the Poland international to return to the Bundesliga giants. 

His angling for a move away raised questions over whether he would return to Bayern as he could strike to force through an exit, but he was seen arriving on Tuesday morning.

Lewandowski was filmed driving into a medical facility by Sky Sports for checks ahead of the new season while Barcelona reportedly continue to ramp up their interest.

The LaLiga club are prepared to bid around £43million (€50m) with Bayern open to £43m-£47m (€50m-€55m) offers, according to Sky Sports. 

The 33-year-old has become one of the most dangerous forwards in world football, but he has stalled on a new deal – with just one year left on his contract – and informed club chiefs of his desire for a new challenge.

Lewandowski wants to leave Julian Nagelsmann’s (L) Bayern this summer for a new challenge

Barca president Joan Laporta recently confirmed they submitted a bid to sign the Poland striker. ‘We have made an offer that they [Bayern] will be evaluating and we are waiting for the answer,’ he said. 

Xavi has already added defender Andreas Christensen and midfielder Franck Kessie, both on free transfers, to his squad in the summer transfer window and is now keen to strengthen in attack. 

Barca, who are still feeling the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, are set to raise funds after offloading Clement Lenglet to Tottenham, while Manchester United remain in talks over a potential deal for Frenkie de Jong.

Departures could allow them to wrap up the signing of Lewandowski, while European giants Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with a move for the prolific striker.

Xavi’s Barcelona are trying to stump up the cash to agree deal to bring the striker to Nou Camp

Lewandowski’s bid to quit Bayern has been met by fierce opposition from the club and the country’s press, with the player accused of displaying a poor attitude against the club that has shaped him into an elite player. 

But he hit back at those suggestions, saying he was appreciative of Bayern’s support over the years but feels he must be honest about his situation and seek out his desire for ‘a new stage’. 

‘I’m not a selfish person,’ he said in an interview with Bild. ‘I know what I had at Bayern and appreciate it very much. I also know that I’ve been doing my best not to disappoint the club and the fans for the past eight years. After this time I feel that it is time for a new stage.

‘I respect FC Bayern and its rules. But changes, especially after such a time, are part of the life of the club and the player. I hope that doesn’t come across as selfish. I have a contract, but I also tried to make it clear to the club how I feel.

Lewandowki has won 14 major honours at Bayern – including the Champions League in 2020

‘I’ve always tried to do my best for FC Bayern to meet the expectations of the team and the fans. I appreciate the Bayern fans, they have always supported me. If I wasn’t honest about my situation, I would feel like I wasn’t being fair to the fans.’

He enjoyed another scintillating season in the Bundesliga – blitzing his way to 50 goals in all competitions to truly put himself among the pantheon of the top strikers in football history. But he has won everything he could possibly win at Bayern and the desire for a new challenge has not been something he has been able to ignore. 

Lewandowski has not been holding back as he attempts to force through his move, and said ‘something died inside me’ when explaining why he wanted to leave – and claimed no player would want to join them if they blocked his move.