Chelsea receive transfer boost

Chelsea fans are getting more and more giddy as the end of the season approaches and the latest claim from the Daily Star is not going to change this mood.



The club are already preparing for not only the departure of the interim one Rafael Benitez but the long awaited return of their Special One Jose Mourinho and now have been placed at the front of the cue to sign sensational Borussia Dortmund forward Robert Lewandowski.



With all the talk about Radamel Falcao and Edinson Cavani, we let Lewandowski slip under the radar – that is until he made what Gareth Bale did to Maicon look positively like child’s play in his destruction of Real Madrid scoring four goals and becoming the first player since Lionel Messi scored five against Bayer Leverkusen to get a 10/10 in L’Equipe’s player ratings – no wonder Jose Mourinho wants the Pole!



Now it is claimed that the forward’s current club Borussia Dortmund are desperate to stop him joining rivals Bayern Munich after relations considerably soured after their ill-timed purchase of Mario Gotze and now will try to push through a move to Chelsea just to spite Bayern.



Given Chelsea are willing to offer Kevin de Bruyne as part of the deal that should act as something of a sweetener given how well the player has done on loan at Werder Bremen this term this could well push the Blues ahead of Manchester United in the transfer race to land the former Lech Poznan star.

Bayern denied Lewandowski deal

Bayern Munich have denied reports that they have a deal in place for Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski.



German newspaper Bild reported earlier in the week that the Poland international had already signed two contracts with Bayern, one that was due to start next season and one in 2014.



But a Bayern statement read: "FC Bayern, contrary to these reports, do not have any contract with Robert Lewandowski."



Dortmund insist they have received no offers for the 24-year-old, whose fine season continued on Wednesday when he scored all four goals in their 4-1 Champions League win over Real Madrid.



Their intention is to sign the prolific Pole to a new contract, with his current deal due to run out at the end of the 2013-14 season.



Dortmund's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke said in Bild: "It would be negligent of us not to try to keep probably the best striker in Europe. It's true that we have discussed new conditions once again."



Lewandowski, who has scored 34 goals this season with 10 of those in the Champions League, has also been linked with a move to the Premier League with Manchester United chief among his suitors.



Dortmund have already suffered one high-profile departure with midfielder Mario Goetze announcing earlier this week he was using a release clause in his contract to join Bayern over the summer.

Big Sam rues Lewandowski miss

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce admits that during his time at Blackburn, he was looking at signing Robert Lewandowski.



Back in 2010, Lewandowski was due to hold talks with Rovers, as the battle to sign him from Lech Poznan was on-going.

Borussia Dortmund secured a deal, and the rest is history as the Pole is now one of the hottest talents in world football - which was highlighted by his four-goal haul against Real Madrid on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg.

"It's true," the West Ham boss said.

"He was put forward to sign very strongly by our recruitment staff and unfortunately it was one that got knocked back.

"My distant memory isn't that great but I think (former Rovers chairman) John (Williams) and the board said we are not going to commit that amount of money.

"I think they wanted three or four million euros but we were particularly strapped financially at the time at Blackburn. I watched him play. But I didn't get the chance to meet him.

"I think his agent said he couldn't come over because of the ash cloud, yes. He's probably worth 40 million euros now."

Allardyce admits he rues missing the chance to work with him.

"I think about it every time I see him play. Last night I was thinking it again," the 58-year-old said.

"He would have had a period of getting used to the level and the physical presence, but with a talent like that it wouldn't have been too long before he started to shine and score goals.

"The level he is playing at now is unbelievable, not just his scoring ability but his ability to retain possession.

"There were a lot of people looking at him at that time as well but we had the edge over everyone else because of the attraction of the Premier League. He could have used us as a stepping stone but it didn't happen."


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Lewandowski destroy Real Madrid

Robert Lewandowski's stunning four-goal haul inspired Borussia Dortmund to a memorable 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the first-leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.



Polish hit-man Lewandowski became the first player in Champions League history to score four goals against Real to leave Dortmund well-placed to reach next month's final and set up the possibility of an all-German final with Bayern Munich.



Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed what could prove to be a crucial away goal for Real, but Lewandowski was the hero for Dortmund with a stunning individual performance.



Dortmund settled the better of the two sides and they went close to scoring after just seven minutes when Marco Reus picked the ball up and ran to the edge of the box before firing in a low shot which Diego Lopez did well to keep and Lewandowski was just unable to capitalise on the rebound as the ball went too wide and Sergio Ramos got back to block his shot.



The home side did make the breakthrough a minute later with Robert Lewandowski losing Pepe inside the six-yard box to sweep home Mario Gotze's inviting cross from the left and send the home fans into raptures.



Real were struggling to make any real impact in the early stages and it took them 24 minutes to have their first shot on target when Ronaldo fired in a trademark free-kick from fully 35 yards which Roman Weidenfeller did well to push away.



The game swung in Real's favour just before the break with Dortmund feeling they should have been awarded a penalty only for seconds later for the Spanish side to draw level.



Marco Reus went down in the box under pressure from Raphael Varane, but the home side's penalty appeals were waved away and the suffered a double blow as play switched straight down to the other end as Real equalised.



Mats Hummels made a mess of an attempted backpass to allow Gonzalo Higuain through on goal and he unselfishly crossed for the unmarked Ronaldo to slot the ball into the empty net.



Dortmund came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half and they restored their lead five minutes after the break as Reus's shot landed at the feet of Lewandowski inside the box and despite claims for offside from the Real defence the Pole poked home his shot from close-range.



Things got even better for Dortmund on 55 minutes as Lewandowski completed his hat-trick with a superb finish. Marcel Schmelzer's cross from the left found its way to Lewandowski inside the box and he showed great skill to drag the ball back past Pepe before smashing an unstoppable shot high into the net past Lopez.



Dortmund were in full flow and Ilkay Gundogan was denied a stunning goal by a superb fingertip save by Lopez after a fine run by the Dortmund midfielder past a couple of Real Madrid challenges.



The German side were awarded a penalty on 67 minutes when Reus was barged over in the box by Xabi Alonso and Lewandowski made no mistake from the spot as he drilled his shot straight down the middle.