Bayern Munich manager aims dig at Barcelona after Lewandowski deal

Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann has aimed a dig at Barcelona over their transfer business this summer after the Catalans raided the German champions for Robert Lewandowski.

Barça are having a brilliant transfer window so far, having first brought in Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen on Bosman deals, which was followed by the arrival of Raphinha and the re-signing of Ousmane Dembele.

But the cherry on top came in the form of Lewandowski’s capture from Bayern after months of speculations and negotiations. The 33-year-old has joined the Blaugrana in a deal worth €45 million plus €5 million in add-ons.

Lewandowski is understood to have signed a four-year contract with Barça and was officially presented on Tuesday in Miami, on the club’s pre-season tour.

And, Nagelsmann, who worked with Lewandowski for one year at Bayern Munich, has now taken a shot at Barcelona for their spending.

Speaking to BILD (h/t Fabrizio Romano), the Bavarian giants’ head coach said: “Barcelona, the only club that has no money but then… buys every player they want. I do not know how [they do it]. It‘s kind of weird, kind of crazy.”

It is true that heading into the transfer window, there were a lot of concerns regarding Barcelona’s financial situation and their ability to pull off big deals. However, the Catalans have managed to find ways to fund transfers.

The activation of the first economic lever by selling 10% TV rights to Sixth Street brought in over €200 million in revenue, while the Blaugrana are set to sell the remaining 15% TV rights to the same company this week, anticipating a financial boost of around €320-330 million.

The sponsorship agreement with Spotify has also helped generate revenue. On top of that, Barcelona are also considering the sale of a 49% stake in Barça Studios, which could bring in a significant cash injection, helping them sign more targets and register them without issues.

As for Lewandowski, having been unveiled on Tuesday, the 33-year-old is expected to make his unofficial debut for Barcelona against Real Madrid in a friendly later this week.