Robert Lewandowski visiting Chicago Fire as talks continue over possible MLS move – The Athletic
Robert Lewandowski is visiting Chicago this weekend as he remains in serious talks with the Fire, sources briefed on the situation but not authorized to speak publicly tell The Athletic.
Talks are ongoing but Lewandowski, 37, has not expressed a decision on which club he is signing for next. Men in Red first reported Lewandowski is visiting the club this weekend.
Lewandowski will visit the Fire’s new training facility as well as get a feel for the city. He is a free agent after departing Barcelona.
The Poland legend is considering proposals from Chicago as well as the Saudi Pro League and is expected to make a decision soon.
“We’re trying to recruit world-class players,” Fire director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter he told Up & Adams Thursday. “I think your (host Kay Adams’) father could potentially be happy with a signing that we’re working on.
“We think (Lewandowski would) be a great signing not only for the Chicago Fire, but for the league, to have a player of that caliber. We see him right up there with Messi in terms of ability, and it’d be great for the city of Chicago.”
Lewandowski scored 14 goals in 31 La Liga appearances for Barcelona last season, despite only starting in 17 of those. He also netted four times in 11 Champions League games, and scored 120 goals in 197 total appearances for Barcelona since joining from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022.
The striker has scored 89 goals in 167 international matches for Poland but was unable to lead his country to the World Cup — Poland suffered a playoff final defeat against Sweden in March.
Lewandowski brings goals – but do the Fire need him?
Analysis by national soccer reporter Paul Tenorio
Lewandowski would be the latest big-name player to follow Lionel Messi to MLS, joining the likes of Marco Reus (LA Galaxy), Hugo Lloris (LAFC), Thomas Müller (Vancouver), Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte), Son Heung-min (LAFC), Rodrigo de Paul (Miami), James Rodríguez (Minnesota), Timo Werner (San Jose) and Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City). Casemiro seems set to sign in Miami this summer, too.
He would join a Fire team that currently sits in third place in the Eastern Conference under former U.S. men’s national team manager Berhalter. Interestingly, the Fire have one of the hottest strikers in the league in Hugo Cuypers, who sits atop MLS with 13 goals and was named a starter for this summer’s All-Star game.
Berhalter typically plays a one-striker system, but would have to play with two if Lewandowski joined with Cuypers. The Belgian has also drawn strong interest from other teams in MLS about a potential intraleague move.
The Fire are hoping to generate interest and buzz in the market with big names in a winning team as they prepare to open a new stadium in 2028 in the South Loop area of the city.
