Mihai Pintilii recalls 2014 transfer request to FCSB owner for move to Al-Hilal

Mihai Pintilii has shared details regarding his 2014 departure from FCSB to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. The former midfielder stated that he approached club owner Gigi Becali directly to request permission to leave. Pintilii cited financial considerations and his age as the main reasons for seeking the move at that stage of his career.

The transfer resulted in FCSB receiving a fee of 2,400,000 euros. This sum marked a significant return on the investment made by the Bucharest club two years earlier. In 2012, FCSB had paid 850,000 euros to secure Pintilii’s services.

During his two seasons with FCSB, Pintilii played under coach Laurențiu Reghecampf. The team won two Romanian league titles in that period. Reghecampf later moved to Al-Hilal and expressed interest in having Pintilii join his squad there in 2014.

Following the agreement between the clubs, Pintilii signed a three-year contract with Al-Hilal. The deal followed the payment of the 2.4 million euro transfer fee. His time in Saudi Arabia included playing alongside high-earning teammates such as Thiago Neves, who reportedly earned 300,000 dollars per month.

Pintilii’s stint at Al-Hilal was brief. He made 20 appearances for the club before being loaned to Pandurii. In the summer of 2015, he transferred to Hapoel Tel Aviv on a free transfer.

The midfielder returned to FCSB in early 2016. He remained with the club until he ended his playing career in 2020. In 2026, Pintilii separated from FCSB and took up a role as assistant to Elias Charalambous at Levadiakos.