Sport: Lewandowski in contact with Chicago fire for weeks, nearly $20 million annual salary

News from Barcelona was extensive on Monday. According to previous reports by Sport, journalists photographed Lewandowski arriving in Barcelona from Chicago. The Polish striker had been in the United States in recent days, making contact with Chicago Fire.

According to this newspaper, Lewandowski has not yet made a final decision about his future. However, he has agreed to travel to Chicago to personally learn about the plans presented to him, tour the club facilities, and see the city that could become his next destination. The American club hopes to impress the striker, not just with financial terms, but also with the environment, club structure, and the competitive space he could have in MLS.

Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter is the main promoter of this move, having long publicly expressed his admiration for the striker. During his time in the U.S., Berhalter introduced Lewandowski to the team's ambitions and the central role he would play within the squad.

Berhalter told WP Sportowe Fakty in an interview: "We showed him everything we can offer. Chicago is a great city, and we believe this is a very attractive opportunity for him to continue his career."

The coach also emphasized that the club hopes to make a significant leap in competitiveness in the coming years. He said: "Our goal is to become a benchmark institution. We discussed how he would fit into the team and what he could bring to help us compete for the title. We currently have one of the most efficient attacking lines in the league, but we want to go even further. With a player like him, we believe we are fully capable of seriously contending for the championship."

Berhalter also spoke about the media impact of this move and the potential effects of the Pole joining MLS. He added: "He has all the qualities to become one of the top stars in American football. He has built an extraordinary career, and we believe this could be the next challenge in his brilliant career."

Chicago Fire has put forward a very generous financial offer, with a contract lasting two to three years and an annual income close to $20 million. Without a doubt, these figures are quite high, but the Polish striker still needs to make a decision based on other factors such as quality of life and time differences, which are equally important.