West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was once denied the chance to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, it has been revealed.

Lewandowski hit the headlines again this week when he scored all four goals in Dortmund's 4-1 demolition of Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in Germany - goals which have left Madrid's hopes of reaching Wembley's showpiece final seriously in doubt.

But it could have all been so different, and had Allardyce managed to entice the striker to Ewood Park at the time he was boss at Blackburn Rovers.

If that had happened Lewandowski may currently be helping the north-west club avoid relegation to League One rather than dreaming of Champions League glory.

Allardyce is quoted on www.football.co.uk as saying: "He was put forward to sign very strongly by our recruitment staff and unfortunately it was one that got knocked back.

"My distant memory isn't that great but I think (former Rovers chairman) John (Williams) and the board said we are not going to commit that amount of money.

"I think they wanted three or four million Euros but we were particularly strapped financially at the time at Blackburn. I watched him play. But I didn't get the chance to meet him."