Steaua Bucharest owner Gigi Becali believes Octavian Popescu should be worth a staggering £125 million with Premier League strugglers Everton eyeing a player reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo, speaking to DigiSport.
Now, Becali is no stranger to hyperbole. And, when it comes to comparing his most exciting young talents to some of the greatest footballers of the modern era, it’s fair to say he has quite the track record.
Becali likened Florinel Coman to Neymar and Kylian Mbappe when Crystal Palace came calling.
He also said that Olimpiu Morutan was just like Lionel Messi before accepting a £4 million bid from Turkish giants Galatasaray.
So Becali’s gushing praise for 19-year-old Popescu should perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt.
The Romanian Ronaldo?
“He reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo at the beginning of his career,” says the FCSB president, via MaisFutebol. “Physically, (he has) everything. He is a player who has a great future ahead of him.
“He has to go to another league where he can also develop his physique. I’ve never seen a player like him in Romania.”
According to DigiSport, Everton have opened negotiations about a deal that would see Popescu swap Romania for Goodison Park. £42 million is a huge sum, however, for a teenager with only 13 senior goals under his belt.
Especially with Everton feeling the pinch from Financial Fair Play regulations.
“There is no official offer at this point,” Becali adds. “I don’t think Benfica has the money to buy him.
“I’ll never be able to sell Tavi for his real value. I think he’s worth between 100 and 150 million. But (I may have to) sell him at half price – at 50 million euros (£42 million).”
Victor Becali, Gigi’s cousin and an adviser to Popescu’s representatives, believes that there will be no movement on the forward’s future until the Premier League comes to an end on May 22nd.
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Everton are still far from secure of their top-flight status, despite a hard-earned point against Leicester City on Wednesday night.
“Popescu is a player followed by many teams. But there is nothing concrete,” Victor Becali explains. “The clubs have other concerns.
“In England, until the Premier League is over, no one enters the discussion. Maybe if an offer comes, we can discuss and negotiate.”
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