Barcelona to pay €20 million commission to Pini Zahavi for Lewandowski transfer

After months of negotiations, uncertainty and confusion, Barcelona have finally announced the signing of Robert Lewandowski.

The Polish international has parted ways with Bayern Munich, signing a four-year contract at Camp Nou. He is expected to undergo his medical in Miami tomorrow before joining the rest of the Barcelona camp in Florida.

With the negotiations now done and dusted, Alfredo Martinez has offered a key insight into the Lewandowski saga. The Spanish journalist believes Barcelona’s deal to sign Lewandowski could have been wrapped far earlier, had it not been for the demands of the player’s agent, Pini Zahavi.

It appears Zahavi was holding out for a hefty commission, having played a vital role in establishing the crack between Lewandowski and Bayern that eventually compelled the player to put an end to his spell in Bavaria.

Martinez believes Zahavi has asked for a commission of up to €20 million. It is quite a fortune given that Barcelona have had to pay a fee of around €45 million upfront for Lewandowski, with an additional €5 million to be paid through add-ons.

However, Zahavi’s commission is likely to be paid through yearly instalments worth around €5 million, thus totally up to €20 million by 2026.

Such commission fees for agents have become commonplace in today’s footballing market as more and more players start to leave just a year before their contract or even after the end of their contracts.

Bayern have been a victim of this trend in recent years, with the likes of David Alaba, Niklas Sule and Thiago Alcantara leaving the Allianz Arena over the past couple of seasons.

Robert Lewandowski now joins the list, and the Pole will be hoping he could become the most successful of them all, as he kickstarts a new chapter in his glittering career with Barcelona.