Nagelsmann takes aim at Barcelona after confirmation of Lewandowski's transfer

Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann has taken aim at Barcelona following the confirmation of Robert Lewandowski's transfer to the cash-strapped Spanish giants.

Lewandowski, 33, was confirmed as a Barcelona player on Tuesday evening after weeks of speculation.

It had been thought for some time that there was no possibility of Barcelona managing to secure a deal for the Polish forward, with the club said to be in debt stretching over the £1bn mark.

As it is, however, Barcelona managed to get their man and as a result Nagelsmann questioned how the club were still able to dip into the market owing to their present financial plight.

'It is the only club in the world that have no money, but then buy all the players they want. I don’t know how they do it. It’s a bit strange, a bit crazy,' he said when asked about the transfer.

Barcelona's financial plight reached such a stage earlier this summer that they were unable to register Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, two players brought in on free transfers from AC Milan and Chelsea, respectively.

The club is currently bound by La Liga regulations that stipulate the club can only spend £1m for every £4m it offloads.

It had been thought that Barcelona needed to get rid of players this summer before bringing any in. Such speculation has led to constant rumours over the futures of Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele, the latter of whom is yet to sign a new contract with the club.

De Jong has been the subject of long-term interest from Manchester United, with the club having submitted numerous bids for the player. A deal has stalled recently with De Jong said to be keen to remain at Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich's pain was slightly softened by the confirmation of Matthijs de Ligt's £68m move from Italian giants Juventus.

The Dutch defender joins the German giants on a five-year deal until 2027, with the club having finally landed a player they have harboured hopes of signing since 2019.

Speaking upon the confirmation of the signing, De Ligt told Bayern Munich's website: 'I'm very happy to become a player for this great club. FC Bayern are the most successful club in Germany, one of the most successful clubs in Europe and in the world.

'I felt the genuine appreciation from the sporting management, the coach and the board right from the start, which convinced me.'