By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Robert Lewandowski's future at Bayern Munich remains a mystery as a poker game is in progress providing a controlled amount of inside news.
While players' agents in normal times don't fancy reading details about their behind-closed-doors talks with clubs, they often use a constant flow of drops to fuel developments.
Lewandowski's agent Pini Zahavi is one of the most skilful agents in the business, pressing all the buttons. Former Bayern president Uli Hoeness once called him a greedy piranha, leaving Zahavi unimpressed.
As his client is currently trying to design his future, Zahavi is masterfully conducting the negotiations in the background.
Bayern intends to extend his contract until 2023 under certain conditions, but the reported interest of Spanish giants FC Barcelona comes right on cue.
Fans of both sides can be assured that the latest reports about a meeting of the Polish strikers' entourage with Barca representatives have been launched. Coming with it are facts about where and when the meeting took place.
While Bayern seem to have rejected demands of a salary raise to 30 million euros per season as well as a two-year extension, the media is fed with unconfirmed facts, Barca is determined to sign the 33-year-old spearhead and address his demands for 30 million per season.
All possible options remain in motion, while even former agents of Lewandowski have turned up in the witness box.
Maik Barthel, for instance, who was formerly in charge of the striker's interests, told a German tabloid that Barca is willing and able to pay the reported demanding salary.
Bayern's negotiators Hasan Salihamidzic and chairman Oliver Kahn struck back by announcing that Lewandowski has to stay until 2023.
At the same time, sports magazine Kicker reported on an internal Bayern decision to allow the striker to leave this summer for a basic payment starting at 40 million euros.
Spanish media say Barca is willing to pay 30 to 35 millions euros if the deal happens this year.
Fans in Munich feel like eyewitnesses when being told that Zahavi, Kahn and Salihamidzic met this Thursday to hold talks while having dinner in a well-known Munich restaurant.
The reports are followed by an overview of Lewandowski's feelings regarding the first meeting with Bayern, that the forward isn't happy with the present developments.
Former Bayern midfielder Javi Martinez spoke about a recent phone call with Lewandowski, indicating that a move to Barca or Real isn't out of sight.
Martinez said Lewandowski seems convinced of better chances to win the Ballon d'Or in the Barcelona shirt.
Julian Nagelsmann seems to be following the case with growing amusement, "as I always think about who is benefitting from that news. In some cases, it's my impression that some news is launched to address the person's profile as an insider."
In his perspective, "nothing has changed as I keep my fingers crossed for a deal shortly in our favor. But that's nothing new now." ■
