5 potential replacements for Lewandowski at Bayern Munich
For a while now, the rumour mill has been agog about a potential move by European champions Real Madrid for Bayern Munich's ace marksman: Robert Lewandowski.
The gangly Polish international is one of the best strikers in the world and has delivered 25+ goals every season since the 2011-2012 season (his second at Borussia Dortmund).
The 29-year-old is in the prime of his career but may feel that the allure and attraction of the Santiago Bernabeu coupled with the club's insatiable appetite for winning trophies present him a better chance of winning the one trophy missing from his cabinet: the UEFA Champions League.
The Bayern Munich board are known for being one of the most astute in the business and it is almost certain that plans have already been drawn up for potential replacements.
FC Hollywood (as Bayern are known) will probably have to break their transfer record (the €41.5 million paid to Olympique Lyon for French midfielder Corentin Tolisso) to be able to get the desired quality.
Here are 5 classy & potentially world class strikers that chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge & sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic should take a look at:
#5 Willian Jose (Real Sociedad & Brazil)
Not the flashiest and most well known of names, purchasing the 26-year-old who is set to win his first cap in tonight's high-class friendly against Germany will represent a piece of shrewd business.
A traditional number 9 in the true sense of the phrase, his style of play is direct and uncompromising. The La Real forward is strong in the air and provides a scary threat in the opposition’s box on set pieces as his heading ability will remind older Bayern fans of a certain other Brazilian who wore the red shirt with distinction: Giovanni Elber.
While he does not possess the all-round abilities of Lewandowski (how many strikers do?), Willian more than makes up for this by his ability to hold up the ball, run the channels and be in the right place at the right time.
In his second full season in La Liga, he has plundered 18 goals and 2 assists in all competitions for a floundering Sociedad side and would be an adequate replacement for the giant Pole.