Robert Lewandowski to leave Bayern Munich for Barcelona

One of the longest transfer sagas of the summer is ending as Robert Lewandowski, the second-highest goalscorer in Bundesliga history, swaps Bayern for Barcelona.

© Andreas Gebert/REUTERSRobert Lewandowski is leaving Bayern Munich after eight seasons

After months of speculation, Robert Lewandowski is indeed leaving Bayern Munich after eight years.

"We have come to a verbal agreement with Barcelona," Bayern club president Herbert Hainer confirmed Saturday. "It's good to have clarity for all parties. Robert is an incredible player, and he won everything with us. We are incredibly grateful to him."

Earlier, reports from both Sky and Sport1 stated that Lewandowskihad said his goodbyes to his teammates, hugging all of them at the end of the session.

According to reports, the club agreed on a deal worth up to €50 million ($50 million), with the 33-year-old expected to sign a four-year contract.

 With Bayern Munich signing Sadio Mane just a few weeks ago, and most recently announcing the contract extension of Serge Gnabry, Lewandowski's departure appeared even more likely.

The 33-year-old had made his desire to leave the club public much earlier in the summer, when in May he said his story with Bayern was over after contract talks broke down. He had one more season left on his deal with Bayern. Now, after a long wait, his wish has become a reality.

The Polish striker leaves Bayern and the Bundesliga after a remarkable 12 years that saw him score 312 league goals in 384 games. He won the league title 10 times and the Champions League once, and, last season, he broke Gerd Müller's Bundesliga scoring record after netting 41 goals in one campaign. He leaves Bayern with a breathtaking scoring record of 344 goals in 375 games.