According to reports in England, Arsenal have submitted an official bid to secure the services of FCSB wonderkid Ianis Stoica.
Discovering and signing young and talented players were all the rage during this summer transfer season. No wonder, the clubs had their finances ravaged by the ongoing pandemic, and young players tend to be less expensive than their seasoned and experienced counterparts.
After a year that left everything, including online football betting, with an empty purse, and where fans were mostly kept away from stadiums, things seem to be coming back to normal. But looking for fresh talent, often abroad, has remained equally important for every club, including the Gunners.
Likewise, Arsenal’s latest transfer target seems to be 18-year-old forward Ianis Stoica, currently playing at Romanian club Steaua. The club’s owner, Gigi Becali, recently stated that the Gunners have made a bid for the Romanian youngster, as reported by The Metro.
Who Is Ianis Stoica?
Ianis Stoica comes from a family where professional football is a tradition. His father, Pompiliu Stoica, played at Steaua Bucuresti, the predecessor of today’s FCSB – the team where his son is currently playing. Pompiliu was also the manager of FCSB’s reserve team in 2018.
Ianis has been at the club since 2017, making his debut for the senior team the same year. However, he has not been able to solidify a spot in the first team yet, spending most of his time on loan at various other Romanian clubs. His latest loan spell with CSM Slatina was the most successful of his career yet, scoring 7 goals in 24 league games.
Meet Arsenal's latest target: 18-year-old wonderkid, Ianis Stoica. #afc https://t.co/hsaE6jBfp8
— . (@APresserV2) November 23, 2021
Upon his return to FSCB this summer, he has already featured 13 times for the club, scoring 4 goals in 13 league appearances so far. Internationally, Ianis Stoica has represented Romania several times in youth tournaments, his latest being a friendly against the Georgian U-21 this September where he scored the opening goal. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
A Sought-after Youngster
Earlier this year, Stoica was on the brink of signing with a Bundesliga team, as revealed by his father in an interview, but Stoica sr. wasn’t happy with the “conditions” offered by SC Freiburg, so the transfer fell through. He also added that he’d like to see his son play in Italy or Spain, but his destination seems to be the misty Albion instead, as confirmed by the club’s owner.
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Speaking to a local sports publication as.ro, Becali confirmed that he has received a 7.5 million euro (£6.4 million) offer for Stoica. The transfer is not yet written in stone, so to speak, considering that the club’s owner said he was looking for 10 million euros (close to £8.5) for the talented young player.
The 18-year-old forward can play as an attacking midfielder or central midfielder. The Gunners may be left without Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette at the end of the season as both players’ contracts expire, and they are more likely to leave.
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