Robert Lewandowski has explained that his move to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire was driven, at least in part, by a belief that no European club could measure up to his experience at Barcelona.

The veteran striker, who spent four seasons at the Catalan club, said he simply could not picture himself pulling on the shirt of another European team after his time at Barcelona came to an end.

That conviction, Lewandowski indicated, made MLS and the Chicago Fire an appealing next chapter — a fresh environment entirely removed from the comparisons that would have followed any move within Europe.

The Polish international is one of the most decorated forwards of his generation, having also represented Bayern Munich across a hugely successful spell before his arrival in Spain. His signing represents a significant coup for Chicago Fire and for the league as a whole.