Robert Lewandowski to Blackburn Rovers? Sam Allardyce drops new transfer message | OneFootball

Sam Allardyce has dropped a transfer message on Robert Lewandowski regarding former club Blackburn Rovers...

Robert Lewandowski is one of the greatest centre-forwards of his generation but the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona star almost joined Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers.

There are very few players who have scored more goals in Europe's top five leagues this century, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sergio Aguero, Edinson Cavani, and Harry Kane the kind of company he has kept in that time.

In fact, it is only Messi and Ronaldo with more, with Lewandowski scoring 567 goals for Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona in all competitions since 2010, with a further 89 for Poland on top of that.

It's a remarkable record, albeit not playing in England is perhaps a slight mark against the legendary Polish striker. However, he could have turned out for Blackburn Rovers in an alternative universe. Blackburn were set to sign Lewandowski for between £6 million and £7 million back in 2010 from Lech Poznan.

Sam Allardyce urges Robert Lewandowski to join Blackburn Rovers

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It has previously been reported that the eruption of the Iceland volcano Eyjafjallajokull led to a potential move to Ewood Park falling apart for Lewandowski. The 37-year-old instead moved to Dortmund from Poznan.

Lewandowski has since played down the Blackburn move, with it perhaps never coming as close as many suggested. However, the transfer interest was evidently there as the agonising near-miss is well-documented.

With Lewandowski unable to get over to Blackburn to see the town and to potentially complete the transfer, he ultimately stayed put in Poland before joining Borussia Dortmund months later in the summer of 2010. The rest, as they say, is history.

Per The Sun, Allardyce said: "That ash cloud crisis lasted for a few days and it meant that Lewandowski never arrived from Poland. I could have been a God bringing Lewandowski to Blackburn Rovers. He could have got us in the top half of the league with the goals he went on to get."

Allardyce managed Blackburn for two years, from December 2008 until December 2010, and they were relegated in 2012 to never return since. However, their former boss is suggesting a move for Lewandowski in his latest Instagram post.

Blackburn Rovers' trajectory could have changed in 2012

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Blackburn would have been extremely fortunate to have had a player of Lewandowski's calibre. Of course, it is impossible to know for certain whether Blackburn would have avoided relegation in 2012 had they signed Lewandowski in 2010, but it is difficult to imagine their fortunes not improving significantly either.

He instead went on to become one of the greatest forwards of his generation. Blackburn were relegated from the Premier League in 2011/12 after scoring just 48 goals in 38 matches. A clinical goalscorer of Lewandowski's calibre could easily have transformed their attacking output.

His record speaks for itself, with the 37-year-old now looking for a new club in what could very well be the final chapter in his playing career. That won't be to the Championship but it could have been in 2010.