New Delhi: Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has recently revealed that he almost left Borussia Dortmund for Manchester United in 2012 but Dortmund refused to let him go and blocked his move to the Premier League.
The Poland international was a rising star in the European back then and Sir Alex Ferguson was keen to add a proper No. 9 to his attack that summer after narrowly losing the title to Man City. Lewandowski is one of the best strikers to ever play for Borussia Dortmund. He had scored 103 goals in 187 appearances for the club. He also won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal with the Black and Yellows.
In an interview with former Man United player Rio Ferdinand, “I remember one conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson” the Polish star said when he decided to join Manchester United in 2012. He revealed, “I remember the conversation that was before pre-season, we were playing some games. I knew that he [Ferguson] was going to call to me. And at half-time, I was subbed off because I knew that I was playing 45 minutes…I said yes to join Manchester United because if Sir Alex Ferguson calls you, you cannot say no, especially when I was 22-23 years old.”
When The Boss (Sir Alex) called Lewandowski to sign for Manchester United in 2012 ☎️😂
Oh what could have been ffs! pic.twitter.com/3l880VnrI5
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) November 21, 2024
While Lewandowski decided to part the ways with Dortmund and join the Premeir League giants the German club were not willing to let their star goalscorer leave anf as a result the Red Devils failed to secure his services. The 36-year-old then joint Bayern Munich in 2014 and after spending eight successful years at the Allianz Arena, he moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2022.
Who joined Manchester United as No.9 that season?
Sir Alex Ferguson after missing out on Robert Lewandowski he signed Robin van Persie. In 2012, the Dutchman was an established name with Arsenal and was a key player in Arsene Wenger’s starting XI.
However, the fiery Scottish manager weaved his magic and convinced the Gunners to allow van Persie to leave for a reported fee of £24 million. A move that soon proved to be a masterstroke. At 29 years old, the Dutchman quickly struck a chord with fans and became a favorite at Old Trafford. He played a pivotal role in driving United to their long-awaited 20th Premier League title that season.
Van Persie concluded the campaign with an impressive tally of 30 goals and nine assists across 48 appearances in all competitions. He remained with the Red Devils for two more seasons, adding an FA Cup to his honors before departing in 2015.
Robert Lewandowski reveals how close he came to joining Manchester United in 2012. Uncover why the move to Old Trafford ultimately fell through and who joined the United. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
