Robert Lewandowski Travels for MLS Transfer Talks As Part of ‘Blockbuster Double Swoop’

Lewandowski is not the only European champion being lined up.

Robert Lewandowski is plotting his next move. | Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images

Robert Lewandowski has traveled to the United States to visit Chicago as talks over a potential move to the Chicago Fire ramp up, reports have revealed.

Lewandowski, who turns 38 in August, departs Barcelona this summer after 120 goals in 193 games for the La Liga champions, consolidating his legacy as one of the game’s best-ever strikers after glittering spells with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund earlier in his career.

As first revealed by Men in Red, Lewandowski is visiting Chicago as he considers making a move to the Fire. The Major League Soccer outfit are working on a deal which focuses on Chicago’s significant Polish population, which is believed to be the highest in the world outside of Poland.

ESPN add that Chicago is “closing in” on an agreement with Lewandowski but, crucially, a deal is “not done.” The Athletic note that the veteran striker has not yet indicated a preference for his next club, with offers believed to be on the table from both Europe and Saudi Arabia as well.

“We think [Lewandowski would] be a great signing not only for the Chicago Fire, but for the league, to have a player of that caliber,” Chicago coach Gregg Berhalter told Up & Adams. “We see him right up there with [Lionel] Messi in terms of ability, and it’d be great for the city of Chicago.”

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Chicago Fire Chasing Blockbuster Signing of Leon Goretzka

Leon Goretzka is another ambitious target. | Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

An ambitious summer of recruitment has seen Chicago also throw its hat in the ring for departing Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, a one-time teammate of Lewandowski in Germany.

Goretzka only turned 31 in February and is believed to have attracted a number of high-level offers from across Europe, undoubtedly making a switch to MLS complicated at this point in his career.

“Maybe it’s my last chance to go abroad,” Goretzka admitted in March. “I really want to play competitive football again. We’ll see what opportunities arise. I’m completely relaxed about it. I’m just going to let things unfold.”

The veteran midfielder played alongside Lewandowski as Bayern lifted the 2019–20 Champions League trophy and leaves the club this summer after eight stunning years, in which he won no fewer than seven Bundesliga titles.

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How Could Chicago Fire Sign Both Lewandowski and Goretzka?

Jonathan Bamba and Hugo Cuypers are both Designated Players. | Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images

There is a fundamental issue with the Fire’s pursuit of both players, whose financial demands would almost certainty necessitate the use of Designated Player spots on the roster.

Out of three possible DP spots, Chicago has already used two on Jonathan Bamba and Hugo Cuypers. There is an obvious place left for Lewandowski or Goretzka, but not both.

If Chicago did manage to sign both players, one would have to agree to forgo a DP spot initially. It has become increasingly common in MLS for clubs to find workarounds to the limited DP allocations as teams do what they can to build competitive rosters.

Recent examples of this include Rodrigo De Paul’s move to Inter Miami in 2025, which saw his contract backloaded to take up a DP spot six months after his arrival. Inter Miami and the Los Angeles Galaxy are both reported to have done something similar in recent offers for departing Manchester United midfielder Casemiro.

Any such agreement would spark obvious concerns about the long-term future of either Bamba or Cuypers.

Cuypers, 29, is in the final six months of his contract and plays in the same position as Lewandowski, although he does currently lead the scoring charts in MLS with 13 goals in 11 games. Bamba, meanwhile, has endured a mixed 18 months in Chicago but is still only halfway through his contract.

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