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Topics: Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Barcelona, Football, La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Barcelona, Football, La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga
Barcelona superstar Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was offered the chance to join Liverpool by Jurgen Klopp back in 2017.
Lewandowski, 34, is rightfully viewed as one of the greatest strikers of his generation.
He is currently enjoying a hugely successful debut season at Barcelona, scoring 27 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions to set the Catalan club on course for the La Liga title.
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Barcelona are currently 12 points clear of bitter rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table, with the two teams meeting in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday night.
Lewandowski joined Barcelona in a £42.5m move from Bayern Munich last summer after an eight-year spell with the Bundesliga club, in which he scored an incredible 344 goals in 375 appearances.
He has now revealed that Liverpool boss Klopp, who managed the Polish striker during his time at Borussia Dortmund, attempted to poach him from Bayern in 2017.
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"We hosted Liverpool FC with Bayern in the Audi Cup in Munich in 2017," Lewandowski told BILD.
"We spoke on that occasion. Klopp asked me, 'Don't you want to come to Liverpool?' We looked at each other, then I laughed.
"I don't know if he was totally serious. But going to Liverpool was never in my mind."
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After admitting he was not keen to join Liverpool, Lewandowski revealed that he had hoped to sign for their rivals Manchester United years earlier.
The Poland international says he received a phone call from former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson during his time at Dortmund but that Klopp had blocked the proposed move.
"I remember the moment exactly. We had a friendly with Dortmund in preparation, I think against Bochum. I was subbed at half-time," Lewandowski added.
"I looked at my mobile phone in the dressing room. There was a text message with the sender +44. Ferguson had tried to call me and then sent me a message. He wanted to talk to me.
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"I was still in the dressing room, I took a shower and called him back, in a quiet corner. My English wasn’t as good as it is today. He has a strong Scottish accent.
"I was so focused on understanding what he meant! Alex Ferguson tried to be considerate, spoke slowly. I was 22 years old, it was a special moment.
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"I spoke to Aki Watzke [Dortmund CEO] and Jurgen Klopp in the camp. I wanted to go to Man United! But they said: 'No chance, Robert. We need you. You have to stay'."