Robert Lewandowski recalls how close he was to Man Utd transfer after Sir Alex Ferguson call

Manchester United precise astir signed Robert Lewandowski, with the superstar striker telling Sir Alex Ferguson implicit the telephone that helium was acceptable to determination to Old Trafford

Robert Lewandowski agreed to articulation Manchester United successful 2012 earlier the determination ended up falling through.

The Polish striker, 36, is wide regarded arsenic 1 of the finest goalscorers of each time, having recovered the nett implicit 400 times astatine nine level successful the past decade. He exploded onto the country with Borussia Dortmund and caught the oculus of immoderate of Europe's biggest and wealthiest clubs aft bagging 30 goals successful each competitions successful the 2011/12 season.

That summer, helium received a telephone from Sir Alex Ferguson and, soon thereafter, agreed to determination to Old Trafford. But arsenic Lewandowski explained connected the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, the woody was cancelled aft Dortmund changed their minds astir selling him.

"I retrieve 1 speech with Sir Alex Ferguson, you know, for example. That was 2012," Lewandowski told United fable Ferdinand. "I retrieve the conversation... [it was] earlier pre-season... I knew that he's going to telephone to me."

When asked if helium was nervous, the Barcelona prima said: "Oh, very... I knew what I should archer him, you know. Yeah, of course, I privation to articulation Manchester United, yeah. Can you repetition again? Yes, yes, of course, of course."

"So wherefore didn't you sign," Ferdinand asked, to which Lewandowski replied: "Ask the club, you know... I retrieve besides the speech with the president of Dortmund. He said to me, they request me. They're not going to motion maine to Manchester United due to the fact that I'm truthful important for them, and it's not the cleanable clip now.

"So, yeah. But that clip I said yes, yeah, that's true. I said yes to articulation Manchester United due to the fact that if Sir Alex Ferguson calls you, you cannot accidental no, you know. Especially erstwhile I was 22 oregon 23 years old. And, you know, that clip I was playing for Dortmund. Even, you know, I was happy, but Manchester United are similar the premier of Manchester United, you know."

Lewandowski ended up staying astatine Dortmund for different 2 seasons earlier securing a arguable escaped transportation to their Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich aft moving his declaration down successful 2014. In 8 years astatine the Allianz Arena, Lewandowski scored an eye-watering 344 goals, averaging conscionable shy of a extremity per game. He scored 40 oregon much goals successful 7 of the 8 campaign, and 50 oregon much successful 2 of them.

In 2022 helium moved to Barcelona, erstwhile again connected a escaped transfer. He's scored 78 goals successful the two-and-a-bit years since, and helped occurrence the nine to the La Liga rubric - their archetypal since Lionel Messi's departure - successful 2023.

While United volition undoubtedly rue missing retired connected nabbing 1 of the all-time greats, their 'Plan B' successful 2012 didn't fractional wage dividends. They ended up signing Arsenal's Robin van Persie, who not lone helped the nine wrestle the Premier League rubric backmost from neighbours Manchester City, but besides ended his archetypal run with the Golden Boot award.

That said, Van Persie's prima rapidly began waning pursuing Ferguson's status successful 2013, and United person spent the past decennary trying, and mostly failing, to find a suitable replacement for the Dutchman. Had Lewandowski joined instead, the post-Ferguson epoch mightiness person looked considerably different.

Listen to the afloat Rio Meets Robert Lewandowski interview connected Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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