Hazard Warning

photo by eek the cat	via PhotoRee

I was going to write an entry on how excited I was that Manchester United were linked with Robert Lewandowski, when I realized it would be relatively short.  Like about this long.

Primarily because I have no idea who Robert Lewandowski is other than what I read in the papers yesterday.  Apparently, he's a Polish Striker who plays his Club football with Borussia Dortmund in Germany, and is linked with a move to United, in exchange for Dimitar Berbatov going the other way as a makeweight.  Lewandowski's good in the air, and he's just what Fergie needs to play the style of football he's creating -- or at least that's what I've read.  Regardless, the guy scored 22 goals in all competitions this season for the team that won Der Bundesliga, so he's got to be pretty darn talented.

Or possibly I could expound on the creative qualities of Shinji Kagawa, also of Dortmund club fame.  That article would be only slightly longer than the one about Lewandowski -- I don't think I saw Dortmund play more than once this season, and I'm by no means an expert on the Bundesliga -- at least not yet.  I do know that Kagawa's got a bunch of people on Twitter in a lather.  The Japanese national had 13 goals to his credit this season, alongside 11 assists -- and those are rather gaudy numbers for a midfielder, whatever league he plays in.

As to the veracity of the reports on either player, who knows.  Much the same for the reputed signing of Eden Hazard, with unofficial "sources" claiming yesterday that Hazard had spurned Chelsea and City's advances in favor of the tradition of Old Trafford --  but again, who knows what's real and what's a negotiating ploy at this juncture.  [Ed. Note: In all honesty, I find myself saying to an extent "Who cares?" about Hazard.  I don't remember a player's future being played out so coyly in the media since LeBron James announced "The Decision " (His term, and his capital letters, NOT mine)].

But what I decided to write about in the end was none of the above -- but instead about how much this off-season is beginning to remind me of last season's -- and United's "pursuit" of Wesley Sneijder.  While the papers were getting all hot and bothered about United and Wesley, Sir Alex was busy attempting to sign Samir Nasri (and ultimately did come to a handshake with him, apparently, only for the deal to be hijacked at the last minute by City brass, who proceeded to offer the Frenchman 50% more than United in terms of personal wages).



So I will strike a cautionary note -- nay, a Hazard Warning: It's extremely difficult to tell just how much of the rumor mill currently playing out in the press regarding transfer targets is valid, and how much is pure speculation, misinformation or negotiating ploys.  Certainly, the only player whose name I remember being bandied about last off-season whose signing actually came to fruition was David De Gea.  So be careful what you believe in, United fans -- we may, in fact, sign one of Lewandowski, Kagawa, or Hazard, but then again we might not.

And either way, I'll be able to say that I predicted it here.

This is farlieonfootie for May 23.