Fiete Arp has watched Robert Lewandowski develop into one of the world’s best strikers at Bayern Munich, and is now hoping some of the Pole’s goalscoring magic can rub off on him.
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Lewandowski, 30, has registered 202 goals in his 290 Bundesliga appearances to date, and ended the 2018/19 campaign as the division’s top scorer for the third time in four seasons.
For 19-year-old Arp, who officially joined Bayern from boyhood club Hamburg on 1 July, there is no better role model.
With Robert Lewandowski, I’ve got one of the best strikers by my side, Arp told German daily Bild.
He’s a very complete player. I can watch him a lot and I want to pick up some tips from him – that’s why he’s the perfect player for me. Of course I want to learn from him.
Bayern reached an agreement to sign Arp back in February, albeit putting the exact timing of the completion of the transfer in his hands.
Arp could have waited until next season to make the move, but admits he didn’t want to hang about. He even spent his first week at his new club building his fitness with the reserves, before linking up with the first team for the start of pre-season training on 8 July.
I started earlier and got to know some of my first teammates, Arp explained. I see my future with this club so I have to get to know everybody first. I must develop here in order to belong next to these class players.
Of course, it’s obvious straight away with the training centre that some things are on a different level [from Hamburg]. The ambitions are different. These colours, within a few days, you start to identify with them. It’s difficult to put into words how huge a club this is.
Arp, who has been assigned Bayern’s No15 jersey, shot to fame during Hamburg’s ill-fated 2017/18 Bundesliga campaign. He scored on his second appearance to become the first player born in the 21st century to hit the back of the net in the German top-flight, but was unable to prevent the Red Shorts from being relegated to the second tier for the first time.
The five-time Germany U19 international scored two goals in 20 appearances for the Hamburg first team last term, as well as three in seven outings for the HSV reserves.
Arp could make his competitive debut as a Bayern player when the reigning Bundesliga champions take on Borussia Dortmund in the German Supercup on 3 August.
