sport news PETE JENSON: Is Robert Lewandowski the marquee signing Barcelona crave or just ... trends now
At the end of last season Barcelona were confident that they would keep Lionel Messi. In the middle of this season they said they were hopeful of signing Erling Haaland.
Now as their chances of signing Robert Lewandowski are talked up, fuelled by his public admission that he wants to leave Germany, Barcelona supporters are split over how this will end.
Does Joan Laporta finally get his marquee signing or is this just more fantasy football from the Barcelona president?
Robert Lewandowski's eight-year stay at Bayern Munich looks set to come to an end
In favour of Barcelona pulling off the coup is the player's desire to sign. Xavi has spoken personally to Lewandowski. The player's agent Pini Zahavi has a good relationship with Laporta.
And Saturday's farewell to Bayern supporters further greased the cogs, pending Bayern signing a replacement and not just deciding to let him run down his deal giving them 12 months to bring in another forward.
For now Barcelona are happy the player is doing everything in his power to sign but are still doubtful over whether they would be able to register him with La Liga who still have them tied to Article 100 obliging them to bring in four times as much money as they spend on any player.
Barcelona are talking up the chances of signing Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski may have played his last game for Bayern and gave an emotional farewell to fans
If Lewandowski came in earning £17m gross and costing £30m in transfer fee, even spread over a three year contract that amounts to £15m a year. Barcelona would need to bring in 72m to satisfy the league's financial fair play rule.
They want to sell Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United for that amount but selling the Dutch midfielder would leave them needing to bring in a replacement – probably Carlos Soler from Valencia – and they would need to register him and other new players.
Franck Kessie arrives from Milan, Andreas Christensen and maybe Cesar Azpilicueta come in from Chelsea. It will be a struggle to register them with La Liga just as Barcelona had to wait to register Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January market.
There is still pessimism among some at the club that this can be pulled off.
No one would be surprised if the big gains this summer don't end up being re-signing Ousmane Dembele, presenting a fully-fit
