Rapid president confirms contract talks with Pașcanu amid reports of player reluctance

Rapid Bucharest president Victor Angelescu stated that the club is currently negotiating a contract extension with defender Alexandru Pașcanu. This confirmation comes amid reports that the player is hesitant to renew his deal, which is set to expire in June 2027.

Analist Bogdan Baratky indicated that Pașcanu does not appear convinced to extend his stay at Rapid. Other sources also reported that the defender does not wish to sign a new contract and may be aiming to leave the club on a free transfer when his current agreement ends.

Despite these reports, Victor Angelescu described Pașcanu as an important starter for the team. The president emphasized that Rapid wants to keep the defender, highlighting his value to the squad.

Pașcanu was part of the Rapid lineup during the recent SuperLiga derby against FCSB. He was substituted in the 78th minute by Sheriff Sinyan during the match, which ended in a 4-1 defeat for Rapid at Arena Națională.

The heavy loss to FCSB drew criticism from various quarters. Ilie Dumitrescu criticized Pașcanu's performance in the derby. The goals for FCSB were scored by Muhar, Boutoutaou, and Joao Paulo, while Stojilkovic scored for Rapid.

Pașcanu has contributed offensively this season, scoring goals against Sepsi in round 1 and against Oțelul in round 8. He signed a three-year contract with Rapid in the summer of 2024 after joining from Ponferradina for a fee of 350,000 euros.

Before his move to Rapid, Pașcanu played 26 matches and scored one goal while on loan at Sporting Gijon. He has also earned 25 caps for the Romania U21 national team. Transfermarkt values the defender at 1.3 million euros.

Victor Angelescu provided updates on other contract situations at the club. He stated that negotiations with Răzvan Onea and Marian Aioani are ongoing, as their contracts are also approaching expiration.

In contrast, the president confirmed that contract extensions have been finalized with Moruțan, Kramer, and Grameni. These players have signed new deals that will keep them at Rapid until 2028.

Angelescu also addressed the situation of Alex Dobre. He stated that negotiations with the forward are not yet finished after Dobre refused the latest extension offer. Dobre's contract had been extended once previously.

Dobre remains a key figure for Rapid, having scored 30 goals in 88 matches for the club. He is the top scorer in the current season with 5 goals in 13 rounds, following a previous campaign where he scored 15 goals in 30 rounds.