In the face of interest from Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski will have to fulfill his contractual responsibilities and accept Bayern Munich's decision to keep him.
Uli Hoeness, the former president of Bayern Munich, echoed this sentiment, lamenting the Bundesliga's decision to bar the German top flight from competing in Europe.
Despite having a year left on his contract, Lewandowski has declared his decision to quit Bayern, calling his time with Julian Nagelsmann's side "finished."
The striker's favorite destination is usually considered as Barcelona.
Despite Bayern's stance on Lewandowski, Stats Perform understands that the Bundesliga winners have agreed to buy Sadio Mane from Liverpool, clearing the way for the Poland forward to go.
However, the financials behind a Barca deal for Lewandowski remain a mystery, given Bayern's reluctance to sell and the Catalan club's well-documented financial woes.
Hoeness, who retired as Bayern president in November 2019 after 49 years as a player and manager with the club, believes Lewandowski will have no complaints about Bayern's decision if they decide to keep him.
In an interview with G14 Plus, Hoeness remarked, "[He has] joined the position of FC Bayern: that is, to exercise the right to have the contract fulfilled if no alternative is discovered."
"I believe Robert will eventually embrace it."
While Lewandowski's transfer rumors continue, Hoeness has stated his dissatisfaction with the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich won their 10th consecutive title in the 2021-22 season, with Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig providing minimal competition at the top.
Only Bayern Munich has won the Champions League twice in the last ten years, in 2013 and 2020, and Hoeness believes this is due to the 50+1 ownership limit.
The German Football League (DFL) has ruled that clubs with more than a 49 percent interest in the club would not be allowed to compete in the Bundesliga, limiting the influence of potential investors.
"If the Bundesliga – this does not relate to Bayern Munich – does not consider removing the 50+1 regulation, we will have major difficulties in keeping up with international competition in the long run," Hoeness warned.