Legia Warszawa does not intend to wait long after Juergen Elitim’s departure. The capital club has already started taking steps to strengthen the midfield, and Lukas Grgić has become one of the main candidates. The Austrian can go to Łazienkowska without a transfer fee, which is of great importance given the current financial situation.

Legia Warszawa lost an important midfielder

The departure of Juergen Elitim was a big blow for Legia. The Colombian was one of the most important players in the midfield and for a long time it seemed that he would stay with Łazienkowska for the next season. However, the club was unable to offer him better financial conditions.

The lack of advancement to the European cups forced Legia to significantly reduce expenses. In the new reality, there was no room for raises for key players. Therefore, Elitim decided to transfer to Bursaspor, which, despite playing at the second level of the competition in Turkey, has great ambitions and attractive financial conditions.

Lukas Grgić is on Legia’s radar

The Warsaw club quickly started looking for a successor to the Colombian. According to information from Łukasz Olkowicz, talks are being held with Lukas Grgić, who currently plays for Rapid Wien.

The nearly 31-year-old midfielder may be an interesting transfer opportunity for Legia, primarily because his contract expires at the end of June. This means it is possible to bring in a player without having to pay a fee, which is of great importance given the current budget.

Who is Lukas Grgić?

Grgić has been representing Rapid Vienna since 2023, although last season was the most difficult for him in terms of the number of minutes played. Previously, he played for, among others, LASK, Hajduk Split and WSG Tirol, thanks to which he gained a lot of experience in Austrian and Croatian football.

However, this is a completely different player profile than Elite. The Colombian stood out for his mobility, creativity and ability to play the game. Grgić is more of a defensive midfielder, focused on receiving the ball, securing the midfield and interrupting the opponents’ action.

Legia is changing the way it builds its team

The potential transfer of the Austrian shows well the direction Legia may be heading in the coming months. The club must adapt to the new financial conditions and look for players more pragmatically than before.

Not playing in European competitions means the need to reduce the wage budget by up to 40 percent. This makes free transfers, experienced players and players willing to accept different financial conditions than in previous years become a priority.

The midfield will require reconstruction

Elitim’s departure leaves a big gap, so Legia must act quickly. Grgić is not a player with similar characteristics, but he can give the team more stability in defense and organize the game in the midfield.

In Warsaw they realize that the next transfer window will be extremely difficult. The club can no longer afford expensive moves, so each transfer must be carefully considered. Talks with the Austrian show that Legia is looking for players who are ready to get into the game immediately and at the same time not burden the budget too much.