Blues in transfer bid for Lewandowski
LONDON. — Chelsea have made a stunning move for Bayern Munich’s goal-scoring superstar Robert Lewandowski.
But Manchester United are not interested in signing Lewandowski.
Reports claimed United were keen on landing the Poland and Bayern Munich ace and that Old Trafford bosses, along with Chelsea, had even opened talks with his representatives.
But United have denied the claims and insisted Lewandowski is NOT one of their summer transfer targets.
United remain keen on striking a deal with Real Madrid for Spanish international Alvaro Morata.
But as revealed in Starsport last week, a £60m deal could prove more difficult than first thought given Real’s anger at United’s refusal to sell them David De Gea.
Lewandowski has sparked a scramble for his signature after throwing a strop over Bayern’s treatment of him.
The 28-year-old scored 30 goals last season but missed out on the Bundesliga “Golden Boot” to Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by a single goal.
Lewandowski has produced a bizarre rant and hit out at his own team-mates for not helping him finish the season as the league’s leading scorer.
He said: “I was not really happy with how my team helped me. I was annoyed and disappointed with the team’s attitude.”
His agent Maik Barthel said: “Robert told me that he got no support and that the coach (Carlo Ancelotti) gave no call to help him win the top-scorer title in the last game.
“He was disappointed as I have ever seen him before.”
But Bayern Munich have sent a warning to Chelsea and Manchester United over Lewandowski.
Bayern have launched a furious response and insisted the player will be going nowhere.
“Robert Lewandowski has a contract with FC Bayern, which he recently extended to 2021,” a statement read.
“Bayern are not thinking about any move for Lewandowski. There are no talks with other clubs, and there will not be.
“If other clubs negotiate with a player who still has a long-term contract, they risk punishment from FIFA.
“The player’s agent also assured us that he did not hold talks with any other club.”
Chelsea have a number of options open to them as they bid to make changes up front ahead of next season.
The newly-crowned English Premier League champs want two top strikers ahead of their return to the Champions League.
Talks have been opened with Atletico Madrid, who want to re-sign Diego Costa - even though the Spain striker cannot play for them until 2018 because of a transfer ban.
Atletico are likely to loan out Costa — who they sold to the Blues three years ago — before registering him in January, as the marksman does not want to move to the Chinese Super League in a World Cup year.
Chelsea are trying to agree a fee with Everton to buy back Romelu Lukaku, but do not want to go near the Toffees’ world-record £100m valuation.
They are likely to be just as cagey over Lewandowski, who turns 29 in August.
While they appreciate his quality, Chelsea’s chief negotiator Marina Granovskaia is keen for them not to pay over the odds for older players this summer.
The Blues are also big admirers of Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata and Andrea Belotti of Torino, and they retain an interest in Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez , who is likely to represent better value in the current inflated market at around £50m as he has just a year left on his contract.
As well as Costa, Chelsea’s No. 2 striker Michy Batshuayi is being sought by a number of clubs who want to sign him either on loan or permanently.
But the Londoners will not sanction departures until they bring in new players.
Famously, Lewandowski was close to joining then-Premier League Blackburn from Lech Poznan in his homeland in 2010. However, his flight was among those grounded because of the Iceland volcano ash-cloud, and he ended up at Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern then signed him on a Bosman three years ago. — Daily Star-The Mirror.