Manchester United can complete “unthinkable” move for Barcelona superstar in 2026 only on one condition – report

Manchester United spent more than £200 million on their attack this summer, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. However, with Joshua Zirkzee’s future uncertain, the Red Devils are expected to reinvest in a new No. 9 in 2026 to provide competition for Sesko. The Slovenian is still at the beginning of his career, and the Premier League giants lack an experienced striker in their squad to help him flourish. Several names have been doing the rounds as possible solutions to the situation, including Barcelona superstar Robert Lewandowski. The Pole has entered the final year of his contract with the Catalans and could be available on a free transfer next summer. A proven name in Europe Lewandowski is one of the finest strikers of his generation and has scored 734 goals from 1064 appearances for club and country in his career. The Pole is coming off a stunning campaign, in which he found the back of the net 42 times in 52 outings to help Barcelona secure a domestic treble. A recent report, relayed by The Peoples Person, suggests that United are already considering a Bosman move for the veteran striker in 2026. Lewandowski has previously revealed that he had agreed to join the Red Devils in 2012, only for the transfer to fall through. However, it now appears that he is unlikely to move to the Theatre of Dreams in 2026 either. United unlikely to sign an ageing star Speaking to TEAMtalk, journalist Dean Jones insisted that United are unlikely to pursue a move for Lewandowski next year. He said: “There have been links between Man United and Robert Lewandowski but this just seems unthinkable.” “It does not fit with their philosophy at all, even if he is on a free transfer. I have even seen suggestions that he could act like a mentor to Sesko, which I think is extreme and probably unnecessary. “I’m not sure how much money people think Lewandowski currently makes, but he’s basically the highest earner at Barcelona. Man United have a strict policy of how much they are going to pay players, particularly those who are older players. “Yes, you need a balance and you need some experience. But even if Lewandowski was to halve his wages he would be earning more than the majority of the squad. I can not see them entertaining him as a signing unless he took a very radical pay cut.” Lewandowski will turn 38 years old next August and has already shown signs of regression this season. As such, United would be better advised to consider alternative targets, such as Harry Kane, in 2026. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.