Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has shared a captivating story about how shut he got here to becoming a member of Manchester United in 2012, just for the switch to be blocked by Borussia Dortmund. Talking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, the Polish star detailed his dialog with legendary United supervisor Sir Alex Ferguson and defined why the transfer in the end didn’t occur.
In 2012, whereas establishing himself as certainly one of Europe’s brightest younger skills at Borussia Dortmund, Lewandowski obtained a career-defining telephone name. Sir Alex Ferguson, then managing a dominant Manchester United aspect, expressed curiosity in bringing the striker to Outdated Trafford.
“I keep in mind one dialog with Sir Alex Ferguson,” the veteran stated. “He known as me, and I made a decision to hitch Manchester United. At the moment, I used to be solely 22 or 23 years outdated, and when a supervisor like Sir Alex calls you, you may’t say no.”
Lewandowski recalled the surreal second throughout preseason, saying: “At halftime of certainly one of our video games, I used to be substituted. I knew he was going to name, and when he did, my English wasn’t nice, and his Scottish accent made it even tougher to know him. However I managed to inform him, ‘I wish to be a part of Manchester United.’”
Why switch didn’t occur
Regardless of his want to make the transfer, Borussia Dortmund’s administration intervened, blocking the switch. “The president of Dortmund instructed me, ‘We’d like you. You’re too necessary to the workforce,’” Lewandowski defined. “They stated they wouldn’t promote me to Manchester United as a result of it wasn’t the fitting time.”
The Pole’s significance to Dortmund was simple. On the time, he was main the road for a workforce that had simply secured back-to-back Bundesliga titles (2011, 2012) beneath Jürgen Klopp. He in the end stayed on the membership till 2014, when he moved to Bayern Munich on a free switch.
What may need been
Had the switch gone by, Lewandowski would have joined a star-studded Manchester United squad that includes the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Ryan Giggs, and Rio Ferdinand. United went on to win the Premier League within the 2012-13 season, Ferguson’s final earlier than retiring. Reflecting on the missed alternative, Ferdinand remarked, “What a workforce we might’ve had.”
Even with out Lewandowski, that United aspect claimed the Premier League title, which is their final thus far. In the meantime, Lewandowski continued his meteoric rise within the Bundesliga, scoring over 100 targets for Dortmund earlier than reaching unprecedented success at Bayern Munich.
Legendary profession regardless of no Premier League expertise
After leaving Dortmund, Lewandowski turned one of the crucial adorned strikers, successful eight consecutive Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and securing a Champions League victory in 2020. In 2022, he moved to Barcelona, the place he continues to dominate, scoring 33 targets in his debut season and sustaining a prolific scoring price within the present marketing campaign.
At 36, Lewandowski stays a drive to be reckoned with, main the Blaugrana’s assault and displaying no indicators of slowing down.
Loading…