The Barcelona forward could have ended up at Old Trafford if Sir Alex Ferguson had got his way 12 years ago.

Robert Lewandowski has revealed that he agreed to join Manchester United in 2012, only for the transfer to fall through.

The striker has been one of the world’s most reliable goalscorers over the last decade and has netted nearly 600 times in a club career that has seen him represent Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. That’s not counting his international record, which includes 84 goals from 156 caps.

So Lewandowski’s signing would invariably have had a huge influence on United’s fortunes in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. And speaking in a recent podcast appearance with ex-United star Rio Ferdinand, Lewandowski revealed it was a phone call from the former Red Devils boss that encouraged him to sign in 2012.

“I remember the conversation,” the Polish forward said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. “Before pre-season, we were playing some games. I knew that he's going to call me.

“At half-time, I was subbed off because I knew that I was playing 45 minutes. I had the call. And that time, my English was on a different level - especially if I'm going to speak with this kind of guy that Sir Alex Ferguson is calling to me, and I'm calling to him now.

“Of course, I knew what I should tell him. ‘Yeah, of course, I want to join Manchester United’.

Lewandowski was playing for Dortmund at the time and had just beaten Bayern to the title under Jurgen Klopp. Within 12 months the team would reach the Champions League final, and there was a sense that the club were building something, a logic which scuppered Lewandowski’s move to Old Trafford.

“I remember the conversation with the president of Dortmund. He said to me, they need [me]. They're not going to sign me to Manchester United because I'm so important for them. It's not the perfect time,” explained the 36-year-old.

“But that time I said yes to join Manchester United because if Sir Alex Ferguson calls you, you cannot say no, especially when I was 22 or 23 years old. That time I was playing for Dortmund. I was happy, but Manchester United are like the prime.”