Reports: Bayern Munich identify replacement for Robert Lewandowski

What’s the rumour?

According to reports from The Sun, Bayern Munich have identified Juventus star Paulo Dybala as a replacement for Lewandowski if he decides to leave the German club this summer.

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Dybala has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his career over the past couple of years and has evolved to be one of the brightest young talents in world football at the moment.

He made the switch to Juventus in 2015 from Palermo and has gone on to make 136 appearances for the club, scoring 67 times in the process. He has also earned a call-up to the Argentina national team for whom he has played 12 times.

His contract with Juventus runs out only in 2022 and is valued at around €100 million by the Italian side.

The heart of the matter

Despite winning the Bundesliga yet again, there have been question marks over Lewandowski's future at the club. He recently changed his agent and has also been linked with Real Madrid and Chelsea in the past.

Those rumours have not stopped the Poland international from performing on the big stage as he has scored a remarkable 39 goals in 45 appearances for Bayern in all competitions this season.

But, the Bayern hierarchy are reportedly lining up Dybala as a potential replacement to Lewandowski in case their worst fears are realised and Lewandowski pushes for an exit from the club this summer.

Rumour rating/probability - 6/10

Although some outlets are reporting the same, at the moment, we can brush this news off as mere rumours until more credible sources throw some light on the matter.

Video: Lewandowski in action this season

Author’s take

If Lewandowski decides to move on to greener pastures, it will be a massive blow for Bayern and they will have to find a suitable replacement for him immediately. Dybala will be a good option to fill the void but there is very little chance that Juventus will let go of their star player easily.