Effenberg: Lewandowski should go to PSG or Barcelona

Stefan Effenberg has told Bayern Munich to sell Robert Lewandowski and focus on building a team of talented young German players.

Lewandowski last week criticised the club’s failure to match the spending power of the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

They lost 2-0 to Hoffenheim on Saturday, prompting criticism of Carlo Ancelotti’s team selection and tactics.

Former midfielder Effenberg, though, has defended Bayern’s restrained approach to recruitment and feels it could be time to find a replacement for the Poland international striker. 

Writing in a column for T-Online, he said: “On the one hand, he [Lewandowski] attacks the philosophy of the club. [President] Uli Hoeness has already said several times that they will not pay these transfer fees of €100 or €150 million.

“He also attacked his colleagues, who in his opinion apparently do not have the quality to win what he hunts: the Champions League.

“I myself said a few weeks ago that FC Bayern is in danger of losing touch with Paris or Barcelona if it is not willing to pay these sums.

“But: Lewandowski is a player – in this role, he should consider such statements well and express them internally.”

Bayern broke the Bundesliga transfer record to sign Corentin Tolisso from Lyon in June and loaned James Rodriguez from Real Madrid.

But they also brought in young German talent in the form of Serge Gnabry and Niklas Sule, as well as the more experienced Sebastian Rudy.

And Effenberg feels the club could benefit from concentrating on buying or developing promising domestic talent.

“This is exactly the opposite of what Lewandowski demands,” he said.

“But hey, we also have superstars in Germany. €100, €150 or €200 million for international superstars? For this sum you get five or six [German] players.

“These are all guys who know how to stand together as a team. That is why they would be internationally successful.

“Then Bayern have to separate themselves consistently from the foreign top players in the coming years, also from Lewandowski.

“He could go to Paris, where these sums are paid. Or Barcelona. Then he has a club that does what he wants.”