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Barcelona have been heavily linked with Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and now the Bavarians have slapped a price tag on him.
Barcelona were dealt a shock defeat by Cadiz on Monday night. The Catalans were on a good run until last week but have now succumbed to back-to-back defeats in their last two outings. Meanwhile, Joan Laporta and Co. are looking at ways to strengthen the current squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top stories involving Barcelona from 19 April 2022.
Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo to return for Real Sociedad clash
Barcelona will play their game in hand against Real Sociedad on Thursday night. The Catalans are looking to seal Champions League qualification and Thursday night's game is very important for both sides in that respect.
According to Diario AS, Barcelona have received a major boost ahead of their game against Real Sociedad. Both their first-choice centre-backs Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo had missed Monday night's loss against Cadiz.
Pique was taken out of the squad after experiencing some discomfort in training. Meanwhile, Araujo was suspended for the game against Cadiz due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Both Pique and Araujo are set to return for the game against La Real.
Barcelona worried about Bayern Munich's interest in Gavi
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are feeling a bit uneasy about Bayern Munich's interest in young midfielder Gavi. The 17-year-old's current contract with the the Catalans expires in 2023 but they are hopeful of extending his deal shortly.
Bayern Munich are reportedly keeping tabs on Gavi's contract situation. But Barcelona are very wary of the fact that Bayern Munich can be very stubborn when they decide to get something done. As a result, Barcelona are looking to expedite negotiations and get Gavi tied down to a new deal as soon as possible.
Barcelona are set to continue talks with Gavi's agent this month and are hopeful about reaching an agreement soon.
Bayern Munich slap €40 million price tag on Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich have a host of players whose contracts expire in the summer of 2023. The Bavarians are shouldering a lot of pressure to raise these players' wages and hand them new contracts. Chief among these players is Robert Lewandowski.
According to Kicker (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Bayern Munich do not want to run the risk of losing Lewandowski on a free transfer. The Bayern Munich board has come under a lot of criticism for the manner in which David Alaba left the club.
To make things worse, Niklas Sule has agreed to join Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer at the end of the season. As a result, Bayern Munich are willing to part ways with Lewandowski for €40 million this summer.
This works out well for Barcelona since earlier reports had suggested that Bayern Munich would want €60 million for the Polish international.
However, Lewandowski is holding out for a lucrative contract at Bayern Munich. As such, Barcelona could find it hard to agree personal terms with Lewandowski.
