According to a joint report by BBC football journalists Nick Machte and Nizar Kinsella on Tuesday, MLS side Chicago Fire are making a strong pursuit of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. They have placed Lewandowski on their "discovery list" and are actively negotiating a transfer with him.

The Chicago Fire finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 15 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses, accumulating 53 points and qualifying for the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2017. However, due to a lack of key performances from their star players, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia Union.

The disappointing playoff run solidified the Chicago Fire's management's determination to bring in European stars. After failing to acquire Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne, Robert Lewandowski became the team's top target for reinforcement: given Chicago's largest Polish-American community in the US, signing Lewandowski would be strategically significant.

The report further indicates that Lewandowski is open to joining MLS. His current contract with Barcelona expires in June 2026, and salary issues are not expected to be an obstacle to a partnership.

The 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski previously played for Lech Poznań, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich, winning one Polish Ekstraklasa title, one Polish Cup, one Polish Super Cup, one UEFA Champions League title, one FIFA Club World Cup, ten Bundesliga titles, four German Cup titles, one UEFA Super Cup, and six German Super Cup titles. He joined Barcelona in July 2022 for €45 million, making 164 appearances, scoring 109 goals and providing 22 assists. His accolades include two La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, and two Spanish Super Cups.

Robert Lewandowski has also made 163 appearances for the Polish national team, including four European Championships (2012, 2016, 2021, 2024) and two World Cups (2018, 2022). To date, he has scored 88 goals and provided 38 assists for Poland.