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What's the rumour?
Even before kickoff in the Premier League tie, Chelsea have reportedly taken the lead over Manchester United to land their transfer target. Antonio Conte's team has allegedly pipped ahead of Jose Mourinho's club to land Bayern Munchen star striker, Robert Lewandowski, according to the reports from The Sun. The Polish international has a contract until 2021 and is set to be valued around €80 million.
In case you didn't know...
Lewandowski has been a part of Bayern Munich since 2014, however, his stint in the Bundesliga dates back to 2010 when he was signed by Borussia Dortmund. The Polish forward joined the Bavarian giants for free following the expiry of his contract with Dortmund.
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Lewandowski has been one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga for the past five seasons and has won the golden boot twice during his time in Germany. Since 2012, in the league, the Pole has scored 20 plus goals on four different occasions and registered 30 goals in successive seasons in 2016 and 2017 and is on course for another record-breaking season.
The heart of the matter
This season, the Bayern frontman has scored 29 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions with 20 of them coming in the Bundesliga as his team sit comfortably atop the table. Other than his goalscoring, the forward is very good at holding on to the ball, linking up with his teammates and creating chances. He also has a good eye for goal from long range.
He averages nearly 5 shots per game and is excellent in the air, winning 2 aerial duels per game. His performances for the club have been replicated for his country at the international stage as well.
Rumour probability/rating: 8/10
The 29-year-old recently employed a new agent. It is believed that he is pondering a move away from Germany and England seems to be his preferred destination. Chelsea looks to be the frontrunners ahead of Manchester United in landing the signature of the striker.
Lewandowski's spouse had travelled to London a week ago and was allegedly familiarising herself with a potential new home. The hiring of a new agent, Pini Zahavi, suggests that the Polish international is ready for a new challenge.
Zahavi is known to have his contacts with the English clubs and in the past, has proven to be a key middleman in the transfers of notable footballers.
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Author's take
Robert Lewandowski will be a prized summer target for English clubs after stating his intentions of exploring a tougher challenge in his career. The Premier League is one of the elite leagues in the world and the Bayern Munich man is perfectly suited to the English style of football.
The fact that he is interested in a move to London will work in Chelsea's favour. The 2017 Premier League champions need more depth up front and landing Lewandowski would reduce the workload and pressure off of Morata's shoulders, meaning that the Spaniard could himself return to his best if he plays the role he has been accustomed to playing his entire career.
