ATHENS, Greece. Nov 19 — Legia Warsaw FC sold franchise star Roger Guerreiro for 250 thousand euros to AEK Athens FC this past summer, but a year before Legia could have made up to 4 million euros on his transfer. However, at that time the Warsaw club executives rejected the offer of Ajax Amsterdam.

It was thanks to Guerreiro's alerting performance in Austria-Switzerland that landed him interest from top clubs AFC Ajax, Bayern Munich, Olympiacos CFP, SL Benfica, among others.

Despite the wide interest only two confirmed offers were sent to Legia, one by SL Benfica for 2.5 million euros, and 4 million euros from Ajax Amsterdam. It was no secret that the Dutch manager Marco van Basten, who at the time was leading the the Netherlands as national coach, was a fan of the Brazilian-born play-maker.

Unfortunately, the Polish capital club declined all offers and were determined to sell Guerrerio for no lower than 6 million euros. One report even suggested that Legia GM Leszek Miklas wanted 9 million euros for the most wanted Legionista.

"Due to the UEFA EURO 2008 my price had risen considerably. It was then that I first heard I was wanted for four million euros by Ajax Amsterdam. The Legion rejected the offer. Instead, they demanded six or seven million for me."

"I flew all the way to Amsterdam with my agent assuming a transfer would go through. Talks went great, but I soon heard Legia rejected the transfer. You can tell that my flight back to Warsaw I was not in the best of moods."

Legia continued to reject offer after offer, meanwhile the form and morale of Guerreiro only got worse. In his last weeks in Legia, the Brazilian-Pole had even lost a place in the team's starting line-up.

"Perhaps he was mistaken and such wasn't the club star he made himself out to be. I always respected him, I respect and I respected. (...) But I have the right to expect that if he fails to leave, he will not hold a grudge against the club, but instead should help the club who promoted him." said Legia boss Jan Urban before Guerreiro's transfer to Greece.

Roger Guerrerio's contract with Legia was set to expire in December and the club soon became desperate to sell off the Polish international. At the last second the club finally decided to sell, but at a laughable price compared to his post UEFA EURO 2008 price tag.

Guerreiro signed a 4-year-contract with AEK Athens FC, with Legia receiving 250 thousand euro for the former Flamengo and Corinthians player. Now the Brazilian-Pole is once again worth a lot more and Polish club Legia Warsaw must learn from their mistakes.

"Now to buy me out from AEK, you will need to spend a minimum of six million euros." Guerrerio tells Magazine Futbol.