As per the latest reports, Barcelona have reached a verbal agreement with Robert Lewandowski. Now all that's left is to agree on a transfer fee with Bayern Munich when and if they are ready to negotiate.
The potential transfer would have, as any transfer, its advantages and drawbacks. Here are the most important of them.
PROs
1. Goals
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Lewandowski is goals, loads of goals.
Since the 2016/17 season, Lewandowski has scored 190 league goals, which is the best result in the top five leagues. For comparison, Leo Messi is second with 166 goals.
This season alone the Polish striker has netted 49 times in 45 matches.
Meanwhile, Barca desperately need a goalscorer. Memphis Depay and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are tied as our best strikers this season with 13 goals each. Admittedly, though, Auba has been here for only half a season.
2. Immediate results
Lewandowski is not Ferran Torres, we won't see Xavi telling the press after yet another disappointing match that he will find the goal eventually. The 33-year-old is at the peak of his career, and his addition to the squad would mean results here and now.
It's been reported that Barca want a blend of youth and experience in their squad. We already have the youth, and Robert could add the part that's missing.
3. Cheap star player
No one will replace Messi, but Lewandowski can at least try to come close. A player of his gravitas means better sponsorship deals, more merchandising revenue, more tickets sold for games, more attention in the media.
And Barca could get all this for a reported fee of €30-40m.
4. Personal motivation
The 33-year-old has won everything with Bayern at the club level, but there's still a lot to fight for in the individual bracket. Winning the Champions League with Barca as the main man on the team would easily win him the Ballon d'Or - the biggest prize that he is still missing.
Besides, Lewandowski has only one Golden Boot. You get to play at least four more league games in Spain, and the coefficient is 2 and not 1.5 like it was for many years in Germany.
CONs
1. Age
Lewandowski will be 34 years old in August, and Barca want to offer him a three-year contract. It is obvious that Robert is at his peak now, but this also means that his decline will also start at Camp Nou.
In a year or two, he could turn into a burden that would be impossible to bench due to his status and difficult to offload because of his wages. A new version of 2019/20 Luis Suarez - someone who still scores their 20 goals per season but misses twice as many clear opportunities.
2. Limited contribution
And since we mentioned Suarez, Lewandowski is a radically different player. The Pole can't play on the flank if needed, he does not create chances or provide many assists - only 7 assists this term.
He is a world-class poacher, but you need to feed him balls to score goals; Lewandowski won't create chances out of thin air. And at his age, it's unclear how useful in pressing he is going to be.
Bonus CON: Cringe
This will be a drawback only if you follow the players on their social media and are cringed out by silly TikTok dances. For some reason, Lewandowski loves those despite not being very good at them.
Sometimes he is showing off his skills, though.
Just kidding, he's dancing again.
