Robert Lewandowski revealed that he had agreed to join Manchester United in 2012, but was blocked by Borussia Dortmund, who refused to let him leave. At that time, the Polish striker was emerging as one of Europe’s top talents, and Sir Alex Ferguson was eager to bring him to Old Trafford to bolster United’s attack after narrowly losing the Premier League title to Manchester City.
Lewandowski shared the story during an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, explaining how he had a conversation with Ferguson in which he agreed to join Manchester United. He recalled how Ferguson’s call was irresistible, especially for a 22- or 23-year-old like him. However, when Dortmund’s president intervened, explaining how crucial Lewandowski was to their plans and that they would not allow him to leave, the move ultimately fell through.
Despite this, Lewandowski stated that, at the time, joining Manchester United was a dream, and it was hard to refuse such an offer, especially with Ferguson personally reaching out to him. However, Dortmund made it clear they wouldn’t let him go, and Lewandowski remained at the club, where he went on to further his career before eventually moving to Bayern Munich in 2014.
After missing out on Lewandowski, Sir Alex Ferguson turned his attention to Robin van Persie and successfully secured the Dutch striker from Arsenal for £24m. Van Persie proved to be a great signing, scoring 30 goals and helping Manchester United secure their 20th Premier League title in the 2012-2013 season, further cementing his legacy at the club.
