U Cluj president says Stanciu has not signed but expects a decision

Universitatea Cluj president Radu Constantea confirmed that Nicolae Stanciu has not yet signed a contract with the club. Constantea said he expects a final answer from the player regarding a potential move from Dalian Yingbo.

Reports about the status of the deal vary. One outlet stated that Stanciu signed a contract for one and a half years with an option to extend for another season. That report added that he would join in January 2027.

Another source said Universitatea Cluj reached a verbal agreement with Stanciu for a transfer in the winter of 2026. A different outlet also reported that sources indicated Stanciu agreed to transfer to the club.

The same report that described a signed contract stated Stanciu would receive a monthly salary of 30,000 euros and a signing bonus worth 100,000 euros. It noted that he currently earns two million euros per season at Dalian Yingbo.

That report also said FCSB missed the chance to sign Stanciu because he chose to be closer to family and home. It added that Gigi Becali and Mihai Stoica had considered a possible transfer to FCSB, and that Laurențiu Reghecampf had stated repeatedly that he would like to work again with Stanciu.

Stanciu left Romania in 2016 and played for Anderlecht, Sparta Praga, Slavia Praga, Al-Ahli, Wuhan Three Towns, Damac, and Genoa.

Universitatea Cluj is also pursuing Andrei Burcă. Club officials have proposed a contract to him and are awaiting his decision. Constantea stated that discussions with Stanciu are more advanced than those with Burcă.

Burcă is currently at the end of his contract with Yunnan Yukun from China. One source said his contract ends in 2026.

Burcă has 47 caps and one goal for the Romanian national team. Transfermarkt lists his market value at 1.5 million euros.

He played for CFR Cluj from 2019 to 2023, appearing in 163 matches. During that time he won three league titles and one Romanian Super Cup. He also played 45 European matches for CFR Cluj, scoring in a victory against Celtic in the 2019/2020 season.

Before joining CFR Cluj, Burcă played for FCM Bacău, Aerostar Bacău, SC Bacău, and FC Botoşani. He also played for FC Baniyas. CFR 1907 Cluj and Al-Akhdoud previously agreed on his permanent transfer to the Saudi Arabian first division.

Universitatea Cluj has entered the race to sign Horațiu Moldovan from Eyupspor. Turkish journalists claim the club will sign him only if he accepts a lower salary. Moldovan earns approximately 1 million euros per season from Atletico Madrid and has 16 selections for the Romanian national team.