Lewandowski agrees Chicago Fire deal: the MLS blockbuster that follows Messi's American blueprint

Robert Lewandowski is heading to MLS. The 37-year-old has agreed a two-year deal with Chicago Fire, choosing the United States over Saudi Arabia and AC Milan after leaving Barcelona as a free agent at the end of his contract. ESPN reported on Sunday that the deal is being finalised, with the club hoping to have the Polish striker registered and ready to make his debut on July 16 against Vancouver. For all the latest, follow the football news.

The move closes a remarkable chapter in European football. Lewandowski spent two seasons at the Camp Nou after joining from Bayern Munich in 2022, winning the La Liga title in his first year and establishing himself as one of the most prolific strikers of his generation in the process. His time at Barcelona ended with his contract expiring, and after a period of considering his options, he has followed the path Lionel Messi opened two years ago and chosen Major League Soccer as his next destination.

The contract is reported to be worth in the region of 15 million dollars net per year, placing Lewandowski among the highest earners in the history of the league. Chicago Fire, who have not reached the MLS Cup in over a decade, are betting that his arrival can shift the competitive dial significantly. The striker and his agent Pini Zahavi visited the club's training facility earlier this month, and those conversations clearly went well.

The Messi comparison is irresistible, though the situations differ. When Messi arrived at Inter Miami in 2023, he was joining a franchise built around his star power from scratch. Lewandowski arrives at an established club in one of the biggest cities in North America, a market MLS has long wanted to crack. If he plays anything close to his level of the last decade, he will instantly become the defining signing in Chicago Fire's recent history.

The timing matters too. MLS took a planned break during the World Cup and returns to full play in mid-July. If Lewandowski's paperwork clears in time, his debut against Vancouver could become one of the most-watched regular-season games the league has staged in years. The appetite for a returning Lewandowski in a Chicago jersey, combining the weight of his name with the tournament buzz still in the air, is obvious.

Saudi Arabia made an offer. AC Milan expressed serious interest. He chose Chicago. That decision says something about the direction the league is travelling, and about how Lewandowski wants the final years of his career to look. He is not winding down quietly. He is going where the story is biggest, in a country that will still be talking about football for weeks after the World Cup final. For all the updates as the deal is finalised and his debut approaches, follow the football news.