The 37-year-old signed a free transfer after his Barcelona contract expired this summer, and while the Polish striker was linked with clubs including Juventus, he made clear that no other European destination was ever a genuine option once his Barcelona chapter came to a close.
"I couldn't imagine myself in a different club beside Barcelona," Lewandowski told ESPN at his unveiling.
The formal presentation took place at a Chicago news conference, capping a pursuit that head coach Gregg Berhalter revealed had been years in the making, with talks between the club and the striker's camp first opening in January 2025. Lewandowski has signed a two-year contract that will run through the 2027-28 MLS season, joining as a Designated Player.
"It first came into the picture probably in January of 25," Berhalter said of the club's efforts to land their new frontman, praising the striker's professionalism and track record of success wherever he has played.
Lewandowski explained that conversations with former team-mates who had already experienced life in MLS, including Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller, helped convince him that Chicago was the right fit both professionally and for his family, with the pair speaking highly of the club and the city itself.
The striker also reflected on the scale of the change awaiting him and his family as they prepare to leave Europe behind for the first time in his career, acknowledging that the move represents a major life adjustment but one he and his family are approaching with genuine excitement, viewing it as the beginning of a new and rewarding chapter.
Lewandowski scored 120 goals in 193 appearances during four seasons at Barcelona, winning the La Liga title three times, and leaves the Catalan club with his legacy as one of the finest strikers of his generation firmly intact. He also won three Bundesliga titles apiece with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich earlier in his career, scoring 344 goals during his time in Bavaria.
Barcelona are now searching for a replacement in attack, with the club hopeful of luring Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, 26, as they look to fill the void left by their departing talisman.