Manchester United Transfer News: Have United Signed Robert Lewandowski?

Manchester United's links to Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski have persisted throughout the summer transfer window.

They began back in the 2012 European Championships when the Poland national coach stated that he felt the 23-year-old would be making a move to Old Trafford over the summer. Franciszek Smuda was quoted via The Metro back in June as saying:

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"Lewy [Robert Lewandowski] is going to Manchester United... they [the players] have a goal and they want to grow."

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That prompted the CEO of Borussia Dortmund—where Lewandowski is currently under contract—Hans-Joachim Watzke to emphatically deny any rumors that their star striker would be moving anywhere this summer, and especially not to Manchester United, as quoted in an interview with German media outlet Der Westen:

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"This discussion [about Robert Lewanowski to Manchester United] makes me sick. Polish media, in which everything has been rumored, I honestly...

"Whether offers arrive for him or not, it's totally irrelevant. If I explicitly say for weeks that Robert will definitely compete for the championship and return from his summer vacation for training with us, that is so."

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However, despite the apparently clear statement from Dortmund that they would not be selling their star striker and best player this summer, the rumors and speculation about a potential move by Lewandowski to the English Premier League—Manchester United in particular—simply continue.

This time, reports coming out of Italy that have linked the striker with a move to Old Trafford over the summer transfer window. According to tuttomercatoweb.com (h/t Footy Latest), the Red Devils have come to an agreement with Lewandowski and the Polish international is set to join Manchester United for next year's 2013/14 English Premier League season.

Borussia Dortmund, again, have denied the reports.

No surprise there, as they insist once more that Lewandowski will not be moving on from the club any time in the near future—regardless of how many years are left on his contract.

Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp with the dismissal this time, and he also throws in a little attack on the striker's advisers, who are seemingly making the entire situation more complicated than it needs to be.

Per Sport Blid (h/t Crunchsports):

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"I have absolutely no problem with Robert... his advisers, however, are not be part of my team."

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Thus, the rumors linking Lewandowski to Manchester United and to the English Premier League continue, but they don't seem to get any more true as the transfer window lingers on.

Borussia Dortmund—having already sold playmaker Shinji Kagawa to the Red Devils earlier this summer—are unlikely to sell their best player and top goal-scorer to the same club and are unlikely to part with him at all this year.

Lewandowski was crucial to the German club achieving a league and cup double, and with rivals Bayern Munich again looking strong for next season, it is imperative that Dortmund retain their best players to challenge for the German domestic title again.

The club's CEO has said Lewandowski is not moving, the coach has said he's not moving and it might just be time for football fans and media outlets to accept the harsh reality that Lewandowski is not making a move to Manchester Untied.

As good as the £30 million-rated striker would be for the Red Devils, Dortmund will not part with him, and certainly not to the same club that they sold Kagawa to.

United are unlikely to engage in a deal for the 2013/14 season yet—there are simply too many unknown factors to cater for such as performance, injury and what else the club does over the summer transfer window.

The rumor makes sense—Dortmund selling Lewandwoski when he has one year left on his contract and thus gathering the best deal possible for him—but that's about where it ends. 

Robert Lewandowski is not moving to Manchester United, not now, and whilst I won't say not ever, I wouldn't be counting on it to take place any time soon.

Is there any merit to the Robert Lewandowski rumors?

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