Ekstraklasa - in, out, shake it all about

2nd July 2010

© PD Lech fans will soon be cheering for Artur Wichniarek again Share:

It’s a case of back to the future for the Polish league’s top two clubs as they both signed former players now in the twilight of their careers. Wisla have brought back Maciej Zurawski, the former Celtic striker on a year’s contract, where he will wear the unusual number 79. Seven was his number in Glasgow, while he wore nine during his glory years in Krakow, so on returning, he decided to join the two figures up. “I’ve come full circle, because I’m returning to the club where I had the greatest success. I’m happy I’ll be able to help my team-mates. I think I can bring my experience to bear and give others the impulse to play better,” commented Zurawski.

Meanwhile, champions Lech Poznan have signed their former apprentice Artur Wichniarek from German side Arminia Bielefeld. “The club came forward with a concrete contract proposal last Thursday, I took two or three days to think it over. I never forgot that this is my home town and it was here I got the chance to debut in the Ekstraklasa. It’ll be great to play for the best supporters in Poland,” said the man who earned the nickname King Arthur, after his goal-scoring exploits in the German 2nd division.

Two players on their way out of the division, though, appear to be Kamil Glik and Mateusz Cetnarski. Glik, the 22-year-old Piast Gliwice defender, is heading to Palermo in Serie A. Walter Sabitini, the Italian side’s sporting director, told Przeglad Sportowy, “I think Glik can cut it in Serie A. His youth is not a problem, in fact it’s an advantage. I know Kamil is very keen to play, he’s got a great physique and he can develop excellently on Italian pitches. I’m thinking of technical and tactical abilities, which you can never have too much of.” Palermo are looking to pay about EUR 800,000 for the transfer, with Glik in line to earn around EUR 200,000 per annum. The deal should be completed early next week.

Cetnarski, meanwhile, will be heading from GKS Belchatow to Barnsley in England’s Championship. Barnsley are offering a whopping GBP 2.5 mln for the left-footed midfielder, who had suggested he would leave Belchatow under the Webster ruling, leaving the club with nothing.

“I got some criticism from the fans for that. I didn’t want to run away from Belchatow. I expected them to take me seriously, and all the time I was on a youth contract. For a year there were no contract negotiations, and I reckon I was due a raise,” Cetnarski told reporters. Following the Barnsley offer, though, club and player have put their conflict to one side and the deal will soon be completed.