It’s becoming quite clear where the focus of Sir Alex Ferguson’s summer shopping has been placed. After signing Shinji Kagawa from Bundesliga winners Borussia Dortmund, the Manchester United manager now seems to have had his head turned by his teammate Robert Lewandowski.
According to Poland manager Franciszek Smuda, Lewandowski is ‘going to Manchester United’ this summer. Why the Polish manager chose to divulge Dortmund’s business is unclear – what’s certain however, is that something appears to be underway behind the scenes.
Lewandowski, however, has tried to keep things under wraps. After scoring the opening goal of Euro 2012, the Polish forward told the Press: “I am so happy to score this goal in the opening match. But I’m not going to concentrate on these issues (joining United). Euro 2012 is the priority. I’m totally focused on the national team.”
But I doubt that his remarks will dampen the speculation surrounding the player and his future. Neither Dortmund, nor Manchester United have commented yet, but should he continue to put in good performances during the Euros, I’m sure bids will come in.
So would he be a good addition for Manchester United? My feeling is yes. One thing to note is his spectacular scoring form since joining Dortmund back in 2010. He’s scored 30 goals in 67 League appearances for this Bundesliga side. Prior to that, he was with Polish side Lech Poznan, with whom he scored 41 goals in 82 games. He seems extremely comfortable in front of goal.
Some have compared him to Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, but that comparison is somewhat lacking. Whilst Lewandowski is clinical and strong in the air, he’s also a really mobile player and has a bit of pace to his game. He’s slightly more versatile and adaptable than most fans seem to think and this in part is why he has been such an asset to Dortmund over the last couple of seasons.
There may be fears that signing another striker could hold back Danny Welbeck’s development. Whilst this may be true, Manchester United’s main concern should be winning the Premier League now, not winning the Premier League in a couple of seasons when Welbeck’s a more fully-rounded player. With Berbatov and Owen gone or going, this is certainly an area that United need to look into. What happens if the club are struck down with injuries or Danny Welbeck struggles to find any form?
Lewandowski is a top quality player who wouldn’t cost a fortune. He’s the kind of signing that Fergie has favoured in recent times and I personally hope there’s some truth to the Polish coaches’ comments.
What’s your take? Would you have Lewandowski at Old Trafford?
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