BARCELONA ANNOUNCED THE SIGNING OF ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
It's official. Robert Lewandowski has joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich, with the Catalan club to pay a fixed fee of 45 million euros and a potential 5m euros more in add-ons. Although the German club had stood firm and insisted that they wanted 50m euros for the player who still had one year on his Bayern contract, they eventually agreed to accept the 45m euros plus 5m euros structure.
Lewandoski has signed a three-year contract that will have the option for one more year, while his salary will be around 9m euros net, almost the same as what he was receiving in Germany. The Catalan club put out a statement on their official website, shortly after Bayern Munich directors had also confirmed the deal. "Barcelona and Bayern Munich have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Robert Lewandowski, dependent on the player passing a medical and contracts being signed,"
Barcelona's statement read.
"The striker from Poland stands out for his goalscoring abilities. Inside the box he has all the tools to make him a difficult striker to read as he can find the net with his head and both feet with equal precision. "His technical qualities also mean that he can link up well outside the box also. Lewandowski will bring goals, experience and know-how to the Barcelona attack." This is a big statement of intent for Barcelona and for Joan Laporta, Jordi Cruyff and Mateu Alemany, who had been trying to sign the striker for weeks. On Friday night, the deal was eventually agreed and Lewandowski follows Pablo Torre, Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie and Raphinha in the door at the Camp Nou. The Polish striker will soon join up with his new Barcelona teammates in the USA, where they are having their pre-season tour.
Rugby Union.
Australia 17-21 England: Tourists seal series win over Australia.
England held off Australia in the third Test in Sydney to seal a 2-1 series win, with Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith's tries either side of half-time proving decisive. The tourists started slowly and were 10-3 adrift towards the end of the first half following Tom Wright's try. But Steward stretched over from short range to snatch the lead before Smith grabbed a loose ball and sprinted in. Folau Fainga'a burrowed over but England saw off late pressure. Steward Ellis Genge and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet, a core from Premiership champions Leicester, leapt in delight as the referee's whistle blew. Its only England's second series win down under, following 2016's whitewash. ThatThat clean sweep came after a Six Nations Grand Slam and in the midst of a record-equalling winning streak. This England team is far less settled or strong. But coach Eddie Jones will hope that a memorable victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground will galvanise his team and propel them towards a testing autumn, featuring meetings with South Africa and New Zealand, and next year's World Cup in France.
