FCSB owner Gigi Becali insists that he will not sell Ianis Stoica to Arsenal despite receiving a £6.5 million bid from Mikel Arteta’s Premier League giants, speaking to Digi Sport.
Reports linking Arsenal with a move for the little-known Romania U21 international certainly raised an eyebrow or two.
Look a little closer though and it makes perfect sense.
Every single one of the club’s six summer signings – Ben White, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Martin Odegaard – were aged 23 or under.
The priority these days appears to revolve around exciting, technically-gifted youngsters yet to hit their peak.
Furthermore, there is an argument to be made that the most inspired signing of the Edu era was that of Gabriel Martinelli, another little-known, baby-faced forward brought in from abroad.
Jurgen Klopp famously described Martinelli as the ‘talent of the century’ after a devastating performance in the thrilling 5-5 League Cup draw with Liverpool two years ago.
Whether 18-year-old Stoica can emulate Martinelli’s impact at the Emirates Stadium is anyone’s guess.
But with Gigi Becali claiming that a £6.5 million offer has arrived from North London, it seems that a jet-heeled forward who models his game on PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe has been identified by Arsenal as another star for the future.
Then again, identifying him is one thing. Signing him is another.
Are Arsenal set to miss out on Ianis Stoica?
“Things are clear with Ianis Stoica,” says the always-outspoken Becali.
“I asked for 10 million euros (£8.5 million), even though I was offered 7 million. I know why I asked for that money, and I know why I said that publicly.
“But, for me, things are very clear. You will not see 18 or 19-year-old players will leave me. I’m not going to let go of young footballers from FCSB after two or three showers taken in my team’s locker room.
“Dennis Man, did you see how many years he played for me?”
Romania international Man was only sold to then-Serie A outfit Parma at the age of 22, after five seasons and nearly 150 appearances in the FCSB first-team, despite a £5 million offer from Norwich City.
If Becali is determined for Stoica to follow in his footsteps, Arsenal may be better off putting this one onto the backburner until, well, maybe 2024?
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