Manchester United have been linked with a move to sign Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker’s contract expires in 2023 and he is not close to signing an extension.
BILD report Manchester United are ready to make Lewandowski an offer if Bayern do not hurry up and settle his future.
This may be a typical case of United’s name being used, as we have seen so many times before. Yet, based on the last two summers, it is the Red Devils’ modus operandi to sign a striker in his 30s.
The reason for concern
There will be much hand-wringing at this news, plenty of concern United are failing to learn from recent deals. A striker is needed and instead of finding a long-term answer, the club would be chasing a short-term fix.
Moves for Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo have not really worked out. There have been some magical moments, how could there not be with players of their calibre, but these have been increasingly few and far between.
Both players have struggled with injury and United are paying expensive wages for little return. Amid a change of approach at CEO level, a move for Lewandowski may signal nothing has been learned.
The case for Lewandowski
For United, it may be more painful to walk away and not take a chance. Lewandowski is playing at a far higher level right now that either Ronaldo or Cavani were when they signed for the club.
Lewandowski should have won the Ballon d’Or last year, and really should be celebrating back to back successes.
At 33, the numbers he is putting up are eye-popping. This season he has scored 42 goals in 35 games, following on from 48 in 40 last season, and 55 in 47 the year before that. Add those numbers up and Lewandowski has scored 145 goals in 122 games.
Every players slows down eventually, Ronaldo is evidence of that, but Lewandowski likely has at least another two or three prolific seasons left in him.
In Cavani’s final season at PSG, he played only 14 league games due to injury. The warning signs were there and United ignored them. There are no red flags over Lewandowski.
In recent summers United have approached signing strikers like they are holding the number 17 at a Blackjack table. There’s a small chance they land a 4 and hit 21. But in both cases, United’s Cavani and Ronaldo cards have seen the club’s silverware hunt go bust.
What if this time, Lewandowski is the winning card which pushes United to the jackpot? Would it be too painful not to try? He does not have the injury problems of Cavani, or the circus-like distraction of Ronaldo, who may well seek a move this summer.
A move to sign a younger striker would be great too – but Lewandowski is the best in the world, still playing at the highest level, as his Champions League hat-trick this week showed.
He would instantly make United more dangerous, and it could be a mistake to back off him purely because the Cavani and Ronaldo deals have not worked out. With so many other areas of the team requiring work, bringing in Lewandowski for a couple of years and spending funds on a long-term defender, right-back, midfielder and a winger, really would not be the worst decision in the world.
Signing Lewandowski is a very ‘Manchester United like’ move to make. And this time, why change approach? United should be who they are, in this case, and snap the prolific Pole up if he becomes available.
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