Arsenal, Chelsea & Manchester United keep tabs on Lewandowski

The prolific Borussia Dortmund striker has been lined up by Bayern Munich but the Premier League trio have not given up hope of landing the Pole on a free next summer

By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have not given up hope of snatching Robert Lewandowski from under the noses of Bayern Munich in January, Goal understands.

Bayern remain strong favourites to clinch the signing of the striker, who will spearhead the Borussia Dortmund attack against Arsenal in Tuesday’s mouthwatering Champions League clash, on a free transfer at the end of the season.

VIEW FROM GERMANY

By Falko Bloeding If you want to bet on Robert Lewandowski’s future, place you money on a move to Bayern. The Polish striker had set his heart on a transfer to Munich last summer and absolutely nothing has changed that. What is happening right now, is just a bit of poker for a higher signing fee. The only thing that could really endanger Lewy following Mario Gotze is if Pep Guardiola indeed put his veto on this spectacular transfer. On the other hand, getting Lewandowski without paying Dortmund and selling Mandzukic for lots of money to Spain or England sound like very nice deal for the reigning Champions League winners.

But the Premier League trio are keeping tabs on Lewandowski’s situation ahead of the January window, when he is allowed to enter into official talks and sign a pre-contract with a new club.

Goal has learned that Arsenal, Chelsea and United have all made contact with the Poland international’s representatives to register their interest in capturing the player. Manchester City have also been alerted to Lewandowski’s potential availability but they would need to free up a space in their ranks by selling one of their four strikers, most likely Edin Dzeko.

Arsenal and Chelsea are both in the market for a new striker, while United made no secret of their bid to sign Lewandowski earlier in the year and still retain an interest as Wayne Rooney harbours doubts about extending his Old Trafford contract.

The interest of the English clubs is believed to have been expressed even before Lewandowski's carefully-worded comments about his future in the build-up to Poland’s World Cup qualifier against England last week.

"I will be able to sign a contract with any club in January, but I have never said I will sign a contract with Bayern," said the 25-year-old. "One day, I would like to play in the Premier League. It would be a great experience."

Reports in Germany have suggested that Bayern manager Pep Guardiola is having second thoughts about Lewandowski although the European champions remain in pole position to prise the Pole from the Westfalenstadion.

Dortmund are adamant that, although Lewandowski can commit himself in January, he will not be sold until the end of the season as the second-placed Bundesliga club need him for the entire campaign.

Lewandowski has scored nine goals in 12 games for Dortmund this season, including six in the German league.