Real Madrid Transfer News: Robert Lewandowski Agreement Reported, Latest Rumours

Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski has reportedly already agreed personal terms with Real Madrid ahead of a possible summer move. 

That's according to reports in Germany cited by Guillem Balague of AS. It’s suggested that Los Blancos director Jose Angel Sanchez held talks with the player’s representative Cezary Kucharski in the Spanish capital when Bayern faced Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Balague suggests that while Bayern have no intention of moving on their top goalscorer, contract talks have stalled, with the Poland international demanding €20 million per year. “With that in mind, Lewandowski has been planning on and would be more than ready to force a move,” he continued.

Lewandowski has been one of the finest strikers in Europe for many years now. But he took his game on to new heights in 2015-16, as we can see here:

He was the driving force behind another domestic double for Bayern. The striker has so much to offer at the point of attack and revelled under the guidance of Pep Guardiola. His all-round game has been refined, as has his movement and positioning in the final third. 

It’s his ability to find the back of the net that is most impressive, though. As noted by BT Sport’s Archie Rhind-Tutt, his mark of 30 goals in the Bundesliga is the biggest haul in many years:

Therefore, it’s no surprise Real Madrid want him. The club are renowned for going all-out to sign the best attacking players in the game. With no natural back-up for No. 9 Karim Benzema, another centre-forward would be a huge boost to Zinedine Zidane’s squad, especially one with the kind of talent Lewandowski possesses.

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Los Blancos usually land a player once they’ve set eyes on them. But Bayern are not a club to be bullied, and while negotiations over a contract extension may not have progressed as anticipated for Lewandowski, he has a deal in place until 2019. If the Bavarians don’t want to sell their prized asset, he’ll be going nowhere.

Real Madrid to Move on Isco

According to Jordi Blanco of Sport, Isco will reportedly be sold by Real Madrid in an exercise dubbed “Operation Clean.”

It’s suggested in the piece that both Zidane and president Florentino Perez are happy to move on the Spain international, who has struggled for regular starts as of late. The likes of Jese Rodriguez, Danilo, Mateo Kovacic and James Rodriguez are also tipped for possible departures.

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Zidane has insisted the player will not be moving on, though. "Isco is a Real Madrid player and he is not leaving," the Frenchman said, per ESPN FC. "We have just finished the season and haven't had time to talk about the market or any players who may be of interest to Juventus."

Isco has so much natural ability to tap into and was expected to take the Santiago Bernabeu by storm when he arrived from Malaga in 2013. During his three years at the club, there have been some exceptional moments:

Even this term there have been brilliant performances. Isco can fulfil a variety of different roles on the field and in a squad that’s packed full of players that love to surge forward with the ball. 

They were attributes he used wonderfully in extra time in Real’s win UEFA Champions League final win against Atletico Madrid, per Marca’s Lucas Navarrete:

But he's not been consistent enough. If Madrid were to move Isco on, it’d be regretful. After all, he was the brightest young prospect in the Spanish game when he joined the club. While he’s not fulfilled his glittering potential yet, there’s always been a sense that the 24-year-old could cement his spot in the starting XI with a run of games.

However, having missed out on the final 23-man cut for the Spain national team ahead of the summer’s UEFA European Championships, Isco may feel as though he can’t afford to be a peripheral figure at club level for much longer.