Thomas Tuchel ‘encouraging’ Chelsea to pursue Robert Lewandowski despite ‘significant’ obstacles — report

The classic No.9 center forward is a dying breed of footballer these days, but if there is game-changing excellence still to be found at the position, you can’t do much better than Robert Lewandowski, who continues to perform at ridiculously high levels despite his advancing age.

But seeing as how he will be turning 34 later this summer, time is inevitably, if slowly, starting to run out on his career — still plenty of time to test himself outside the Bundesliga at long last!

To that effect, he’s been strongly linked with Barcelona, and supposedly only has eyes for them. But as Barça try to figure out and strengthen their financial situation, there may be an opportunity for others to swoop in and potentially temp him.

PSG and Manchester United have been mentioned, but according to ESPN, Chelsea are being encouraged to do so as well, and by none other than our head coach and Transfer Tsar, Thomas Tuchel. Unfortunately, ESPN’s report also makes it clear that it is quite unlikely, even if we do managed to come out looking not-terrible from the Romelu Lukaku ordeal.

The report mentions Gabriel Jesus and Christopher Nkunku as potential backup targets, but the former is probably signing with Arsenal while the latter seems unlikely to leave RB Leipzig just yet.

Not that it matters all that much since we need to figure out the Lukaku situation above all, and then maybe attend to others who might want out as well first (Werner? Pulisic? Ziyech?).