#TRANSFERS

On the 25th of August, we’ll know whether or not Legia has advanced to the group stage of the Europa League. Legia’s coach, Maciej Skorża, doesn’t hide the fact that he would like to strengthen the team with at least one more offensive player. "We are in between talks, but we’ll see how the situation will be after the second match against Spartak".

Marek Jóźwiak, the one responsible for transfers in Legia, denied the information which has been appearing in the media with respect to a few players. Jóźwiak states the following: "We are not in contact with Ireneusz Jelen, Euzebiusz Smolarek, or Papa Waigo N’Diaye. Grzegorz Rasiak can be my teammate in an old boys match - he’s not being taken into consideration".

According to Legia’s official website, Wisła Płock’s Senegalese midfielder Matar Guèye is being tested by Legia’s coaching staff. The footballer, who is 24 years old, came to Warsaw team’s preparatory camp in Austria on Sunday morning. Guèye came to Poland in March 2011. Earlier, he used to play for ASC Mbaxaan Thiès.

According to some Bulgarian media, Wisła and Legia are interested in Aleksandar Tonev. Envoys of both Polish clubs were present in the match between Serbian and Bulgarian youth national teams to watch the footballer closely. Tonev is PFC CSKA Sofia’s 21-year-old offensive midfielder.

There have recently been some rumours about Adrian Sikora’s possible transfer to Legia. APOEL F.C.’s (Greek: ΑΠΟΕΛ Ποδόσφαιρο) 30-year-old player hasn’t been able to appear in any matches due to an injury this season. Regarding to Warsaw club’s board’s pronouncement that this is possible they would gain a player from Cypriot league, media began speculating that this is Sikora who Legia wants to buy. Nevertheless, the footballer denied these speculations.

Jakub Rzeźniczak is going to sign a three-year contract with Legia. This piece of information was confirmed by Warsaw club’s sporting manager Marek Jóźwiak who managed to come to Cyprus today. "Kuba should put his signature on the agreement after supper today. We’ve been negotiating recently and our talks are close to end" – said Jóźwiak.

Damian Zbozień decided to risk and to join Legia in its trainings before the beginning of the spring round. 21-year-old defender will fly with other Warsaw team’s players to Cyprus. Legia’s coaching staff will make the decision about footballer’s future after the preparatory camp. If Zbozień doesn’t convince Maciej Skorża it’s possible that he may lose his place in Sandecja’s first lineup. “I believe that if you don’t risk you won’t win. Trainings with Legia won’t take away my skills” – said Zbozień.

Legia is very close to loan HNK Hajduk Split’s (Croatian: Hrvatski nogometni klub Hajduk Split) footballer Jurica Buljat. Negotations between both interested clubs began two weeks ago. Warsaw club’s board managed to reduce player’s price from 1.5 million to 750.000 euro. However, at first Legia would loan Croatian national footballer for six months for 75.000 euro. The team from the capital of Poland would have to pay the rest of money in the summer.

Damian Zbozień won’t be present in Legia’s first trainings this year. Warsaw team’s board didn’t exclude player’s transfer but his move to the capital of Poland depends on a possible gaining of another footballer who might play in his position.

We have informed you recently that Damian Zbozień should have begun trainings with Legia’s senior squad in January. Nevertheless, Sandecja’s coach Mariusz Kuras is convinced that the defender is going to show up for the First Division club’s training on 10th January. "I was given a signal that Zbozień resumes trainings with Sandecja on 10th January" – said Kuras.

According to Sandecja’s official website, Damian Zbozień will probably return to Warsaw in the winter break. The player admittedly was sold to the club from Nowy Sącz but there’s a clause in his contract thanks to which Legia can bring him back to the capital of Poland.

Wojciech Trochim who was on a loan in Bałtyk Gdynia (Polish Second Division) may appear in Sandecja (Polish First Division) from the beginning of the spring round. The club from Nowy Sącz is interested in Legia’s offensive midfielder and the footballer is considering a move to Sandecja.

„Gazeta Wyborcza Łódź” informs us that there have been some rumours recently about Sebastian Szałachowski moving to ŁKS Łódź. “Szałach”’s contract with Legia expires at the end of June 2011. Earlier, the player had been given a free hand by Warsaw club to look for a new employer.

Bulgarian news bulletin "7 days SPORT" (7 Дни Спорт) informed us yesterday that Legia had offered 600.000 euro for PFC CSKA Sofia’s (ПФК ЦСКА София) Italian player Giuseppe Aquaro. Nevertheless, Bulgarian media have announced today that Warsaw team didn’t make an offer regarding to the player. Moreover, the footballer doesn’t want to leave CSKA. According to player’s manager Mariano Bizzarri, some Polish clubs are interested in gaining him, but Legia doesn’t appear among them. The manager is surprised by the pieces of information about Warsaw team’s offer.

According to Bulgarian “7 days SPORT” (7 Дни Спорт), Legia is very close to gain PFC CSKA Sofia’s (ПФК ЦСКА София) Italian defender Giuseppe Aquaro. Warsaw team’s members are supposed to be ready to pay 600.000 euro for this 27-year-old player. Bulgarians are of opinion that the transfer should be conducted mid-January.

Legia has signed contracts with three new players - Ivica Vrdoljak, midfielder from Dinamo Zagreb, Srdja Kneżević, right defender from Partizan Belgrad and Bruno Mezenga, striker from Flamengo Rio de Janeiro. All of them arrived in Warsaw yesterday. Today in Legia's museum Vrdoljak, Kneżević and Mezenga have been officially introduced. We can expect at least a few more new players in the nearest weeks.

Martins Ekwueme has been loaned to Zagłębie Lubin to the end of the season. Everything's due to the fact that the Nigerian didn't have any chances to appear regularly in Warsaw team. A similar situation happened to Krzysztof Ostrowski. Footballer who came to Legia in the winter break and who also didn't fight out his place in Jan Urban's team, has been sold to Widzew Łódź today. "There were some clubs interested in Ostrowski where he would be more trusted than in Legia.

There are only four days during which polish clubs can signed a contracts with new players. Legia will not employ anyone. "We are going to think about transfers. But on the other hand, there is no Ekstraklasa Cup and we don't need so wide cadre this season. If we need some player for concrete position, we will buy him, but not now. There is not enough time to do that in August. It will be easier to achieve in the winter" - said Legia's president, Leszek Miklas.

According to Turkish media, Trabzonspor wants to buy Legia's top goalscorer, Takesure Chinyama. Mahmut Aksu, representative of Turkish team, should have visited Warsaw on Saturday and should have negotiated with Legia's board concerning Chinyama's transfer. Zimbabwean attacker made a good impression on Trabzonspor's envoys and both sides are close to finalise the transfer.

Jan Urban thinks that Legia sustained a defeat on the transfer market. "It happened many times that during the match I wanted to strengthen the team, but when I was looking at the substitute bench, there were only defenders or inexperienced players. I would like to have balanced squad. That's why I hope that there will be some new footballers in the team who will be ready to play on the spot so I won't have to prepare them slowly for new tactics, etc." – said Legia's coach.

Not only Piotr Rocki and Tito have to look for a job in a new club. According to "Przegląd Sportowy", Martins Ekwueme and Inaki Descarga are in a similar situation. Future of Pance Kumbev is also unsure. Manager of the Macedonian player negotiates with Legia's board about his possible stay in Warsaw club.

According to the "Dziennik Łódzki" the defensive midfielder of ŁKS, Mladen Kascelan, is the area of Legia's interest. "Unofficial sources in Legia claim that Kascelan would surely be a member of Warsaw team in the summer" – as we can read in the newspaper. However, there were no negotiations carried out, and the manager of the player said that he didn't know about the topic. Kascelan could be an alternative for Ariel Borysiuk, because Tomasz Jarzębowski who also is a defensive midfielder is seriously injured. Kascelan is 26 years old and before he became ŁKS's player he was a footballer of Borussia Dortmund (amateurs), Karlsruher SC, OFK Belgrade and Vozdovacu Belgrade.