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Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has shared that he was once very close to joining Manchester United.
In an interview with the Manchester Evening News (h/t Mundo Deportivo), the forward opened up about how near he came to moving to the English Premier League.
It was back in the 2011-12 season when Lewandowski was in outstanding form with Borussia Dortmund.
His goal-scoring abilities were catching the eye of top clubs across Europe, including Manchester United, and soon enough, he received a phone call from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, who was still in charge at Old Trafford at the time.
“I remember that conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson, it was in 2012 and I decided to join Manchester United,” he began saying.
A nervous Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski spoke to Sir Alex Ferguson. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Lewandowski recalled the moment vividly, explaining how he knew Ferguson was about to call him during pre-season. Borussia Dortmund were playing a few friendly matches, and Lewandowski had been substituted at halftime because he anticipated the call.
“I remember that talk, it was in pre-season and we were playing some games with Borussia. I knew he was going to call me. And at half-time, I was substituted because I knew I was going to play 45 minutes.”
As the forward was preparing to take the call, he had some nerves, partly because his English was not as fluent as it is today. On top of that, he was aware of who was on the other end of the line—Sir Alex Ferguson, with his strong Scottish accent.
“Then I got the call and, at that time, my level of English was different than it is now. And especially if I was going to talk to this kind of person who was calling me, Sir Alex Ferguson, with that Scottish accent,” he noted.
Lewandowski said yes to United
Robert Lewandowski said yes to Manchester United. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Lewandowski admitted that he was a bit anxious about the situation, especially considering the importance of the conversation.
Despite his nerves, Lewandowski made it clear to Ferguson that he was keen on joining Manchester United.
“Of course, I knew what I should say to him, you know? Yeah, I want to join Manchester United, yeah,” he said.
The move seemed all but sealed, but ultimately, Lewandowski went on to have a storied career with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and later, Barcelona, where he continues to impress at the age of 36.
Looking back, Lewandowski’s near move to Manchester United is a fascinating “what if” in his career. Instead, his legacy has been built at some of Europe’s top clubs, and now, he continues to add to his remarkable record at Barcelona.
