Lewandowski rumours continue, but why would United want him?

Another day, and another reports of Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski to Manchester United. This one appeared in tandem with those surrounding Cesc Fabregas in both the Daily Mail and the Telegraph this morning.

United's pursuit seems curious for several reasons: we have plenty of strikers, Robert Lewandowski is not an upgrade on Robin van Persie, there are other areas of the team that need looking at, and a rumoured £23m price tag is an awful lot for a player with one year remaining on his contract.

United and Bayern Munich have been linked to the striker for some time, but Dortmund shot down those rumours by refusing to sell to their rivals, so that makes this saga a one-horse race, except where the horse hasn't decided whether it really wants to finish the race or not. Everything gives the impression that United are dragging their heels over this, possibly waiting until their other transfer plans take shape. For which you can read: they're waiting to see what happens to Wayne Rooney.

United have clearly been moving Rooney towards the exit door, and with two years remaining on his contract and a new deal at the club on comparable wages pretty much unforeseeable, every indication is that he'll leave. That would suggest Robert Lewandowski will be his replacement. Buying the Pole when we have Van Persie, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck would be questionable, buying him when we also have Rooney, no midfield and dysfunctional wingers would be utterly insane.

And all that adds up to a big dose of skepticism over this transfer. United paying such a high price alone doesn't fit our usual - ahem - business model, especially when we seem to be pursuing a lot of other interests and have absolutely no need to buy anyone in that position. There's not even some ulterior motive United would possess from being linked to him, either. It's hard to see this one coming off.