1. Current Options… And Future Ones
Not only would the capture of Lewandowski give Ferguson fresh options now, but it would also give him options in the future, too. Lewandowski is only 24, whilst Robin van Persie is 29. United fans might just be getting used to seeing the Dutchman play in the red of Manchester United, but he doesn’t have too many more years ahead of him…
The purchase of Lewandowski now would eradicate the need to shop for a replacement for van Persie later on. There would be no point in buying a new striker in two or three years and then waiting around for them to get bedded in and settled when you can do all that right now.
Signing Lewandowski will give him time to acclimatise to life in the Premier League whilst setting him up as a potential replacement for van Persie.
2. Relationship With Shinji Kagawa
Lewandowski forged a fruitful partnership with Shinji Kagawa in Dortmund’s 2011/12 season as the pair helped Dortmund retain the Bundesliga and win it for a second time in a row.The duo managed 47 goals between them that season – Kagawa managing 17 and Lewandowski plundering 30 more. That total is just three less than what United’s strike force have managed so far this season. Of course, Kagawa joined United from Dortmund last summer, and fans must be relishing the prospect of the duo linking up at Old Trafford and repeating that sort of cohesive understanding on the pitch.
If Kagawa and Lewandowski can rekindle their devastating partnership, United’s rivals will be in serious trouble.
3. Is Wayne Rooney Still a Forward?
When you think about the potentiality of Lewandowski joining United as a fifth striker, perhaps the thought “too many cooks spoil the broth” springs to mind. It’s happened at Real Madrid, they have assembled a collection of the worlds greatest players before but instead of playing as a world class team they have played as world class individuals.
That’s the problem posing Manchester United – how to balance so many class acts and keep everyone happy at the same time.
If you think about it some more, Wayne Rooney isn’t necessarily an out and out striker anymore, and has been accustomed to playing just behind the front two in the past in an attacking midfield role. Rooney has more than enough ability to play in midfield, and has the physical build to create a commanding presence for himself in the middle of the pack.
By dropping Rooney into midfield, United would also be solving the Paul Scholes problem – namely how to replace him.
4. £18 Million Is A Steal…
When you consider Lewandowski’s aforementioned prolific goalscoring record of 15 in 25 appearances so far for Dortmund, the quoted £18 million is a steal. Chelsea and Manchester City are being linked with quality players like Neymar and Falcao but are being quoted £32 million* and £40 million** each.
Lewandowski is just as good as either of those players and is at a fraction of the price.
Ferguson has never been one for shelling out large sums of money on a player, but he’d be foolish not to snap up such a world class player when such a good offer is sitting on the table
5. The Inexperience of Danny Welbeck
When you think of the four strikers United have at Old Trafford, Danny Welbeck sticks out as the weak link. That’s not to be unkind – he is only 22 and has a lot of maturing to do. Of United’s four strikers he is certainly the more inexperienced. He has spent loan spells at Preston Northend and Sunderland where he scored a combined eight goals, and upon his return to Old Trafford from loan he managed an impressive 12 strikes last season.
But at the moment he isn’t a 15-20 goal-a-season player. Lewandowski on the other hand has scored 40 league goals in 83 games for Borussia Dortmund and 15 goals in 25 appearances this season.
That’s the sort of goal-scoring record you want out of one of your main strikers, and Welbeck just isn’t managing that right now.
