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According to a report from SPORT, former Barcelona manager, Xavi, had his sights set on Artem Dovbyk, the striker from Girona, as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski for the upcoming season.
It is no secret that Xavi and Lewandowski did not exactly see eye to eye, and things didn’t end on the best of terms between them.
Even though Xavi never doubted Lewandowski’s professionalism, he felt that for his third year in charge of the team, he needed a different kind of centre forward.
He made it clear during discussions at the Sporting Commission meetings, and the club took note of his thoughts.
Why Xavi did not like Lewandowski?
The issue arose because Lewandowski’s agent happens to be Pini Zahavi, whose influence in the club has grown due to his close ties with Joan Laporta, the president.
Xavi and his team also believed that Lewandowski had reached the end of his tenure with Barcelona. Despite two fruitful seasons with the club, they felt he no longer fit into their plans.
Xavi wanted to replace Robert Lewandowski. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Moreover, Lewandowski’s presence did not bother Deco much in terms of sporting matters. So, meeting Xavi’s request seemed out of the question.
They were eager to bring in a striker who could inject more energy, endurance, and dynamism into the team’s attacking play, qualities they believed Lewandowski, now 36, could no longer offer.
Xavi liked Dovbyk
Nevertheless, Xavi considered other options that he found more suitable, and one name stood out to him: Artem Dovbyk.
The striker from Girona had an impressive season with Michel’s team, contending fiercely for the Pichichi, which he ultimately won with 24 goals.
He showcased his knack for playing from deeper positions and his remarkable goal-scoring ability, netting goals of various types.
Yet, Xavi’s desire remained just a dream, mainly because Lewandowski had no intentions of departing.
Additionally, even though his buyout…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/xavi-wanted-la-liga-top-scorer-to-replace-robert-lewandowski-at-barcelona/
Author : Ash Reyna
Publish date : 2024-06-04 09:05:56
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