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Lewandowski hopeful of exit

Warsaw - Poland striker Robert Lewandowski insists he still hopes to leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer despite club chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke claiming it is not on the cards.

The 24-year-old has refused to sign a new contract and his current deal runs out at the end of next season.

But Dortmund say they will not be cashing in on him now even though they risk losing him on a free transfer in 12 months.

"I don't think that's a definitive decision taken by the president," Lewandowski told reporters at a press conference in Warsaw.

"I still think it will change."

Dortmund are determined not to let their star striker move to Bayern Munich having already lost playmaker Mario Goetze to their main Bundesliga rivals - who not only ended their two year reign as German champions but also beat them in the Champions League final - at the end of this season.

"Robert Lewandowski will definitely not be transferred to Bayern in 2013," Watzke was quoted as saying by the tabloid Bild. "That's final. We've told Robert and his agent."

Watzke accepted that it was "completely understandable" that players can talk about their future and revealed that he had discussed the matter twice with his counterparts in Munich.

"We explained to Bayern that, if only for financial compliance (as Dortmund is listed on the German stock exchange), we needed a written offer for Lewandowski. But such an offer hasn't been received yet," he added.

"The matter's closed and there's no anger or resentment... if Robert still wants to go to Bayern, he'll have the chance to do it next year."

Lewandowski told Bild earlier this month that he wanted to leave the beaten Champions League finalists before the start of next season because he wanted a new challenge, although he did not specifically mention Bayern.

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