Bayern CEO Insists Robert Lewandowski Will '100%' Stay Despite Real Madrid Links
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has insisted that Robert Lewandowski will stay at the club this summer in the face of interest from Real Madrid.
The two-time Ballon d'Or winner recalled memories of Chelsea's attempts to sign Franck Ribery a decade ago - reportedly for around €80m and Jose Bosingwa - saying that the club had proved then that they would never be forced to sell a player if they did not want that player to leave.
Speaking to Kicker, he said: "I like to assume that Robert is 100 percent going to play at Bayern Munich next season. What should motivate us to take a different direction?
"I always like to remember the year 2008, when we had an amazing offer from Chelsea for Franck Ribery. From that day on, the whole world of football knew, nobody can buy a Bayern Munich player against the will of Bayern Munich."
Real are said to be looking at Lewandowski as a long-term replacement for Karim Benzema, whose goalscoring form has dropped off rapidly in the last couple of seasons - leaving him as little more than Cristiano Ronaldo's on-pitch sidekick in their Champions League run.
Lewandowski, on the other hand, has scored 32 goals in all competitions this season to follow up totals of 43 and 42 from previous campaigns.
Rummenigge also commented on rumors that Bayern would come in for Bordeaux winger Malcom in the summer - echoing the words of manager Jupp Heynckes, who appeared to rule out a move for the 21-year-old Brazilian earlier this month.
The Bayern chairman said of the rumor: "This is a duck that landed on a lake in Munich."
