Man United eyeing Bayern Munich duo

Manchester United are considering deals for Bayern Munich duo of  Robert Lewandowski and Thiago Alcántara.

Lewandowski has been the subject of transfer rumours, with reports linking him to moves away to Real Madrid and Chelsea. Now, English media has reported that the Polish International, greatly admired by Jose Mourinho, could be a prime target for the Red Devils.

Alongside Lewandowski is Thiago, who was nearly signed by United in 2013, before a last-minute change of mind. Although, Barcelona are also said to be keen to secure his signature.

Bayern Munich, it’s reported, are willing to sell the duo, should potential suitors meet their price.

After being the top scorer in the third and second tiers of Polish football with Znicz Pruszków, he moved to top-flight Lech Poznań, and was the top scorer in the league as they won the 2009–10 Ekstraklasa. In 2010, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund for a reported €4.5 million, where he won honours including two consecutive Bundesliga titles and a season as the league’s top goalscorer. In 2013, he earned with Borussia a spot in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final, a tournament in which he was the second top goalscorer, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.

Prior to the start of the 2014–15 season, Lewandowski agreed to join their rivals, Bayern Munich, on a free transfer. In Munich, he won the Bundesliga title in each of his first three campaigns, earning a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the Year in every season. In 2015–16, he led the league in goalscoring with 30 goals, and in 2016–17 he was named the Bundesliga Player of The Year.  He was named to the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season on each of the last two seasons.  He has totalled over 170 goals in Germany’s top division, Bundesliga, and reached the century mark quicker than any other foreign player. On 22 September 2015, Lewandowski scored five goals against VfL Wolfsburg in nine minutes, the fastest in any major European football league since records have been kept.

A full international for Poland since 2008, Lewandowski has earned over 90 caps and was a member of their team at Euro 2012 and Euro 2016. With 55 international goals, Lewandowski is the all-time top scorer for Poland. In 2015, he was voted Polish Sports personality of the Year and in 2016 he claimed fourth place at the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or Awards. He has been named the Polish Player of the Year a record seven times. The Guardian has ranked him as the fifth-best footballer on the planet in 2015.

Alcantara a central midfielder for German club Bayern Munich and the Spanish national team.

Born in Italy to Brazilian parents, his father being the former footballer and World Cup champion Mazinho, Thiago joined FC Barcelona aged 14, and made his first-team debut in 2009. After winning honours including four La Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup for Barcelona, he was signed by Bayern for €25 million in 2013. At Bayern, he has won eight trophies, including the Bundesliga in each of his first five seasons.

After helping Spain to European Championships at under-19 and under-21 levels, he made his full international debut in 2011. He was part of the provisional squad for Spain in the 2014 World Cup but withdrew due to a knee injury. Thiago was selected for UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Thiago was born in San Pietro Vernotico, Italy, when his father Mazinho (player for the Brazilian national team from 1989 to 1994) was playing for nearby U.S. Lecce. He started at the lower levels of Flamengo in Brazil, and, at the age of five, moved to Spain with his father, and started playing with Galician team Ureca in Nigrán. In 2001, he played with Kelme CF when his father played for Elche CF.  He returned to Flamengo aged 10 and, in 2005, once again moved back to Spain, signing with FC Barcelona, where his cousin Patrick was also playing.