Article by Eduard Apostol, Cezar Titor – published on Sunday, August 17, 2025, 11:55 / Updated Sunday, August 17, 2025 12:18
Unpleasant situation for Ioan Ovidiu Sabău & University of Cluj. Mamadou Thiam forces his departure from the “students” gear, and Issouf Macalou is outside the lot for the Black Sea, with the Lighthouse.
Basically, apart from Jovo Lukic, “Moțul” remains without the main offensive options.
Thiam, tempted with a huge salary in the Arab area
In the case of Thiam, the situation in the summer of 2023 is repeated, when the Senegalese also forced its departure. Then, the Transylvanians received 500,000 euros from Al-Arabi. According to GSP information, it is tempted to respond to an offer from the Arab area, where it would have a monthly remuneration of about 30,000 euros.
At this moment, he receives 12,000 euros a month at U Cluj. Although he still has a contract until the summer of 2026, he would like to leave for free.
He did not train on Wednesday with the team and, most likely, he will not continue in Transylvania. And Digisport wrote on this topic.
In the case of Macalou, it is not “disappeared”. He trained in the morning in Cluj with the team, the decision to be left outside the lot belonging to Ioan Ovidiu Sabău.
He had several offers, he was no longer concentrated, being transmitted from the technical staff to take a few days. However, he trained with the team throughout this period. It was transmitted that he will no longer be part of the lot, and, next week, he will return to the team's circuit and Neluțu Sabău's plans.
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After an excellent 2022-2023 season and the golf transfer, Thiam returned to the beginning of last season in the white and white lot, passing 9 goals and six decisive passes. And in the first stages of the ongoing season he scored twice, offering an assist.
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It is listed at 1 million euros by the specialized portal transfermarkt, the largest value in the career.
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On the other hand, Macalou was brought in winter by “students” from France, from Sochaux. He scored three times in the play-off, with Dinamo, in the tour, (2-4), Rapid (2-0) and Dinamo, in return, when he offered a decisive pass.
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He started this season in force, in Clinceni, with Metaloglobus – empty and two decisive passes, but since then, he has not passed an offensive contribution. Transfermarkt values it at 500,000 euros, as well as in Thiam, the largest quotation in the career.
