The second big shot prepared by CFR Cluj failed »The railways moved quickly and found another striker
Article by George Nistor – published on Sunday, September 7, 2025, 16:46 / Updated Sunday, September 7, 2025:52
CFR Cluj He missed Simy Nwankwo's transfer (33 years old), a contract free from the end of last season and one of the preferences of coach Andrea Mandorlini. The Nigerian striker gave his acceptance to evolve into Gruia, but an offer received at the last moment canceled the move to the Superliga.
The peak with 116 matches in Serie A, which reached its peak in Salernitana T-shirt, in 2021, will sign with Al-Orobah FC, from the second echelon of Saudi Arabia.
Simy was expected in Cluj at the beginning of the week. The player gave a positive answer, but he unduly postponed the arrival, at which point the railway leadership realized that he would no longer be able to register it.
Simy refused CFR Cluj for a huge salary
From the information of the Sports Gazette, the formation of the Middle East offered Simy a valid commitment, with a remuneration that is superior to the one proposed by Ioan Varga. It will receive almost one million euros, with promotion bonus included.
In Gruia, his salary would not have exceeded 20,000 euros a month, to which would have added objective bonuses.
Simy started his career in Portimonense, in Portugal, and in 2016 he took the step in Italy, being transferred by Crotone for 850,000 euros. There he lived the most prolific period of his career, scoring 66 goals in 159 matches.
The reference season remains 2020-2021, when he scored 20 goals in the 38 stages of Serie A. In that season, he managed “double” against Napoli, Lazio, Parin and Turin, pointing in the matches with Juventus and Atalanta.
In the summer of 2022, Salernitana paid 4 million euros to bring him, but Simy failed to repeat the excellent form from Crotone. For Granata he scored 10 times in 64 parties and was borrowed during the first semester of 2022 at Parma and, then, in season 2022/2023, in Benevento.
In June 2025, his contract with Salernitana reached the end.
Simy Nwankwo refused CFR Cluj at the last moment. Photo: Imago
Islam Slimani will replace it
After Simy's refusal, CFR Cluj reoriented and reached an agreement with Islam Slimani (37 years old). From the information of the Sports Gazette, the peak will arrive in Transylvania next days and will sign a contract for one season.
The information of Slimani's move to CFR Cluj was announced by Digisport.
Its CV is an impressive one: it is the best scorer of Algeria, with 47 successes, and has conquered the Africa Cup in 2019. The peak hopes that the CFR developments would bring it back to the foreground of the national championship of the World Championship.
At the club level, he has evolved over time for Sporting Lisbon (2013-2016, 123 matches, 61 goals) with which he won a cup and a supercup of Portugal, Leicester City (2016-2017) and Newcastle United (2017-2018). For a short time, he also wore Fenerbahce's T -shirts, Monaco, Lyon, Brest, Anderlecht, Coritiba and Mechelen, without imposing himself.
Islam Slimani is expected in Cluj. Photo: Imago
Last time he played in Beloiuizdad, in the first league of Algeria, being borrowed from Westerlo. Scored 3 times in 12 games.
500,000 eurosis its market share, according to transfermarkt.com
