There is general agreement that Robert Lewandowski will be the hottest property in football come January. Borussia Dortmund have been content to let the talismanic Pole’s contract run down and come the New Year he will be free to enter into pre-contract negotiations with other clubs.
Initially it was believed that Munich was the sole destination for the frontman, but Lewandowski has since dispelled such assertions and have even gone so far as to suggest a Premier League move could well be on the horizon. Recent comments while speaking to the Telegraph have put the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City on high alert:
“I will be able to sign a contract (with any club) in January, but I have never said that I will sign a contract with Bayern.
“It was a misunderstanding. It is true I had an opportunity to speak with Sir Alex Ferguson (last year), but we didn’t mention the transfer.
“One day I would like to play in Premier League. It would be a great experience.”
Ardent fans of the Bundesliga will have known of Lewandowski’s exploits for a while now, but for many his scintillating performances in last seasons Champions League were what really announced the frontman onto the world stage. 10 goals including four against Real Madrid really highlight the striker’s prolificy at the highest level and further emphasise why he has become one of the most desired names in the world game.
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Lewandowski is as complete a forward as you are likely to see. Comfortable leading the line with the physical attributes necessary for the Premier League he has often played in a lone role for Dortmund during his time there. A target man label perhaps does the Pole an injustice; with an eye for the spectacular he is so much more. Capable of finishing from almost anywhere, with a reasonable turn of pace and effortless skills he is unsurprisingly a man every club would like to have.
So which of the English clubs is the best fit for Lewandowski?
In modern football managers have continued to move away from a traditional 4-4-2 with what was normally a target man and a poacher, instead most sides these days line up with a sole front man as the spearhead of an attack. Occasionally the likes of a Rooney or Aguero have been allowed to play off the front in a sort of number 10 role but this is unlikely to be a job afforded to Lewandowski. Lewandowski is by most people’s reckoning as close to a complete forward as there is in the modern game. This is an important consideration because it will limit his opportunities at certain clubs.
Whether he goes to City, United or Chelsea he would in each case be joining a prestigious club with a wealth of history and in general a promising future. People have been quick to criticise United, and I count myself among these, but this doesn’t detract from the fact that they will in the mid to long term continue to be a force in both English and European football.
Each of the three is as financially competitive as the other, salary isn’t a concern in my opinion. The deciding factor though is more towards game time and general involvement in the first team.
Lewandowski may be up there with the worlds best but would he really ease past van Persie straight into the starting line-up. Similarly City have invested heavily in Negredo and Jovetic to add to the already potent options of Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko. Now Lewandowski may eventually prove himself as first choice at either club, but is it really worth the risk?
For me the club with the obvious need for a striker is Chelsea. A club with names like Torres and Eto’o on their books should be well set in this regard, but as is becoming more and more apparent that they are woefully short in the striking department.
The very fact Mourinho has seen fit to play without strikers at points this season points to the need for a world-class frontman.
Champions League football, a lucrative salary and the draw of London; I can’t see past a move to Chelsea if Lewandowski does in fact opt for the Premier League.
Many may argue that a move to anywhere in the Premier League would represent a step-down for the Pole from Dortmund, but clearly Lewandowski sees things differently and a move to our shores cannot be dismissed.
Is Chelsea the most likely English destination for Lewandowski?
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