Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he tried to sign Robert Lewandowski a while back.

The Polish international officially signed for FC Bayern Munich over the weekend, with the news not coming as a surprise considering the deal being reported for the last six months. He joins Mario Gotze, who also left Borussia Dortmund for rivals Bayern, at the Allianz Arena.

However, Wenger admits he did try to sign the lethal striker in the past, but could not pull off the deal, according to the Daily Mail.

The Arsenal manager said: ‘Yes we looked into Lewandowski but honestly he signed for Bayern one and a half years ago, everyone knows that. 

‘They can only make it official now because he is in the last six months of his contract.

‘We are like everyone, we look out there and see what is happening. If an opportunity turns up, you know as well that all the big players are at big clubs at the moment and they go for important targets.

'Unless you have a club in a desperate financial situation it will be difficult.

‘Lewandowski is at Dortmund until the end of the season and they will not sell Mandzukic now - maybe at the end of the season.