Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has hinted at Robert Lewandowski joining the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Lewandowski – who scored 36 goals in 49 comptetitive appearances for Dortmund last season – has been regularly linked with a switch to UEFA Champions League winners Bayern in recent months.
Bayern, who also won the Bundesliga title last season and the DFB Pokal in a historic treble, have failed to land their man though, with the 24-year-old now likely to remain at his club until his contract expires in a year s time.
Dortmund have already lost star midfielder Mario Goetze to Bayern this year and they are refusing to do business with the Bavarians in a bid to keep their own title aspirations alive.
When quizzed about the possibility of Bayern signing Lewandowski on a free transfer at the completion of the 2013-14 campaign, Rummenigge told Sport Bild: I believe that Dortmund knows that.
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has repeatedly said that Lewandowski will not be sold to Bayern.
And according to Rummenigge s latest comments, Watzke s words may have sunk in.
I have the impression that the word of Mr. Watzke counts. He will have thought well about the spell that Lewandowski will stay, he said.
