Robert Lewandowski reveals just how close he came to joining Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund in 2012 | OneFootball

Robert Lewandowski has revealed that he almost left Borussia Dortmund for Manchester United in 2012, only for his request to be turned down by the club.

One of the best strikers to ever play for Borussia Dortmund, Robert Lewandowski made 187 appearances for the club, scoring 103 goals and assisting a further 42. The Pole also won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal with the Black and Yellows.

Lewandowski left Borussia Dortmund for arch-rivals Bayern Munich on a free transfer in 2014. But if he could have had his way, he would have left two years earlier.

Robert Lewandowski reveals how Borussia Dortmund blocked his move to Manchester United

In an interview with former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand, Lewandowski revealed that he had agreed to join the English Premier League side. But the proposed transfer was blocked by those in charge at Borussia Dortmund.

"I said yes to join Manchester United because if Sir Alex Ferguson calls you, you cannot say no, especially when I was 22-23 years old. I also remember the conversation with the president of Dortmund. He said to me, they need me. They're not going to sell me to Manchester United because I'm so important for them. I was happy at Dortmund but Manchester United and like the prime of Manchester United... you know?"

After leaving Borussia Dortmund, Lewandowski spent eight years at Bayern Munich, winning eight Bundesliga titles in a row with the Bavarians. He joined FC Barcelona in 2022 and continues to be one of the top strikers in the world even at the age of 36.

This season, Robert Lewandowski has scored 19 goals in just 17 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona. He will be reunited with Borussia Dortmund next month when the two sides square off in the UEFA Champions League at the Westfalenstdion.