What Does Robert Lewandowski's Bayern Munich Future Hold?

Bayern Munich have enjoyed the title of Europe's most consistent superpower for the past six seasons.

Since the turn of the current decade, taking over from Barcelona's reign in the 2000s, the German side has played in more UEFA Champions League finals (three) than any other club and secured nine pieces of domestic silverware.

Their impeccable record would suggest "stability," but not so much. Louis van Gaal, Jupp Heynckes and current boss Pep Guardiola have enjoyed stewardship of the Bavarian club since 2009/10. Possessing various philosophies, each has built on a fantastic foundation of technical, incisive and almost surgical football.

In something of a pattern, Bayern are massive favourites to win the Bundesliga for a fourth consecutive season and legitimate contenders to reach the 2016 Champions League final.

STRINGER/Getty Images

Despite this pedigree of success, Guardiola has announced his resignation come season's end. Carlo Ancelotti has already been hired as his replacement, but this change has several Munich futures in a strange limbo.

One such footballer is centre-forward Robert Lewandowski.

According to the Telegraph's Jason Burt, the Poland international "will likely reject" Premier League advances this summer, and he "is believed to have set his heart on joining" Real Madrid.

Los Blancos' prospective and looming transfer ban makes the nature of Lewandowski's timing exceedingly questionable, but, nonetheless, it would create a domino effect throughout the world's collective strike force.

Lewandowski was a great player at Borussia Dortmund under Jurgen Klopp, and was annually touted as one of the world's best strikers; his move to Bayern Munich, though, has unleashed arguably world football's best pure centre-forward.

Maybe Luis Suarez could be added depending on one's classification, but only Sergio Aguero could dispute the claim—his abysmal injury record being the major point of contention and/or separation.

CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

"

Robert Lewandowski will only leave Bayern Munich for one club - Real Madrid even if that means waiting. No idea where #LFC links come from.

— Transfer News (@FootieWriter) January 29, 2016"

Oliver Hardt/Getty Images

The 27-year-old is entering the prime of his career—where one's physical prowess is matched with mental acumen—so whichever club employs him over the next three seasons will have a massive component to a successful, championship-winning side.

Bayern are the obvious front-runners for Lewandowski's continued services—his contract with them extends until the summer of 2019.

Burt's report suggests a figure in the region of £60 million would be the starting point for the centre-forward's signature, but having scored 25 goals in 27 matches this season (in all competitions), that number seems conservative.

If that is indeed the case, there are only four clubs who are willing to spend over £60 million in today's market: Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The unfortunate news for Bayern Munich is the changing of managers could find strikers playing a different role under Ancelotti as they do under Guardiola.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Should Lewandowski feel an unwanted shift coming in Munich's dressing room, a preemptive move to Madrid—who are on the shortlist of clubs rich enough to commandeer his rights—could be a decent switch. For a footballer of a certain age, having Zinedine Zidane call and explain your necessity to Real Madrid could also be fairly compelling one might imagine.

Lewandowski's quality would allow him to flourish in any system, but whatever his preference, it risks being strained with the arrival of Ancelotti. Knowing Madrid are under pressure to make signings before their transfer ban starts in 2017 (provided it does not start this summer), he could well be forced to make his mind in advance.

For those away from the Allianz Arena, the thought of Lewandowski leaving is joyful. For those inside, however, notions of the Polish talisman's absence are terrifyingly grim.

Follow @danieltiluk

*Stats via Whoscored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.