Man Utd to line up Martial-Lewandowski swap deal

Manchester United are reported lining up for Polish star Robert Lewandowski in a shock swap deal for Anthony Martial.

Relations between Jose Mourinho and the French forward have become even more strained this week after he left the Red Devils’ US tour to be at the birth of his second child.

United have been willing to let the former Monaco striker leave even before he left the States – but only to a European club.

Mourinho does not want the frontman to come back and haunt him in the Premier League with interest from Tottenham and Chelsea rebuffed.

And now it’s reported that Lewandowski is being lined up as part of any deal with Bayern Munich.

However the Germans are only will to pay £50m – that’s less than £70m United want, but there could be leeway if Lewandowski is included in the deal.

A source told The Sun: “Bayern are still keen and United have been after Lewandowski for a long time and want him.

“His agent is close to Jose and United and he is keeping them both in the loop along with Real Madrid.

“Bayern want Martial to take over from Ribery but don’t want to pay the excessive fee being asked for.”

Anthony Martial hits back at Jose Mourinho after failing to train since leaving Manchester United’s tour of America

United are debating whether to fine Martial £180,000 for leaving the US tour – further casting doubt on his future.

And new Bayern coach Niko Kovac has admitted Lewandowski ‘toys with going elsewhere’ amid earlier interest from Real Madrid in the striker.

Lewandowski has scored 151 goals in four years in Bavaria following his move from rivals Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2014.

He has been regularly linked with moves away from the Allianz Arena in that time with United one of his previous suitors.

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And while conceding Lewandowski does think about moving on, Kovac insiststhe Pole is going nowhere.

“There’s nothing new with Robert, it’s clear that he will not leave this club because we have a top striker and we certainly do not want to relinquish him or give him away,” he told Sky Sport Germany.

“We want to achieve a lot with him. He is a great footballer, who has achieved a lot in the Bundesliga, scored many goals and now in the new season certainly will score many goals.

“It’s true that Robert toys with going elsewhere. Only [he has] one thing he likes, the other is what we like to do,” the former Eintracht Frankfurt coach said.