Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Thursday, February 19, 2026, 8:36 p.m. / Updated Thursday, February 19, 2026, 8:45 p.m.
Offer Arad (27 years old), one of the three transfers of those from FCSB this winter, he became fit for the champion only 4 weeks after arriving in Romania. The Israeli will receive minutes in the duel with Metalloglobusand Antoniu Stoian, the manager who brought him to the Romanian champion, provided behind-the-scenes details about how this move was possible, in record time.
Defensive midfielder with 5 championship titles in his record, Ofri Arad signed with FCSB even though he had not played since November 5 and he still hasn't had time to debut in red-bluedue to a medical problem. “
He had a minor injury that he didn't say much about, and he's a bit behind with his training, but nothing more. He is OK and I definitely think he will debut with Metaloglobus”, said the man who facilitated his transfer to FCSB.
What was behind the scenes of Ofri Arad's move to FCSB
The Israeli signed with the red-blues in January, free of contract after parting with Kairat Almaty, from Kazakhstan. The footballer with 4 appearances in this Champions League season could play for the first time in League 1 with Metaloglobus on Monday.
The impresario who handled the transfer told how the move to FCSB was made one night, after receiving a call from Florin Cernat, at a time when the red-blues were desperate to bring in a midfielder.
“Florin Cernat called me one evening: “Hey, nene, I also have a request, if you can. We're also looking for a midfielder, but let him be a tool. You realize that Meme and I have also received tens of thousands of proposals and we can't find one, brother! We don't like it. It's not a budget problem. If Meme and Gigi like it, we'll solve it somehow”.
Then I got in touch with a collaborator of mine in Israel. I told him what he was looking for and he told me “If they don't take this one, it means they don't know how to play football!”. I looked at it, because I normally filter first. I studied it, I researched it, I saw it on video and I said: «Whoa! I will definitely take it».
Ofri Arad // PHOTO: Cristi Preda (GSP)
It was about 8 o'clock in the evening and I called Florin Cernat: “Look, I say it's what you need”. Not two hours later, he calls me: «Well, are you crazy?! Can you bring this one?! I showed it to him and his godfather (no. Mihai Stoica). Let's hear each other in the morning».
Then I put them in touch with Ofri Arad and they entered the online conference. I didn't interfere. They talked there with his agent, with the lawyers. They agreed and he immediately came to the country. It is very difficult to find such a player in the winter, in the offseason.
He had another advantage that he also had a German passport and the formalities were done quickly, they understood everything. That was the whole story. It was very difficult to find such a player in my opinion, and they also told me: «You gave us a super player, brother!», said Antoniu Stoian, quoted by fanatik.ro.
I caught him by the mustache! He was ready to sign with a team in China. There he demanded a salary of about 1.5 million dollars. There is still other money with them. But look, we acted and managed to complete the transfer
– Antoniu Stoian, about Ofri Arad's move
1.2 million eurosis Ofri Arad's market share, according to Transfermarkt
Ofri Arad's impresario praises his player: “Two classes above Šut”
Ofri Arad came to fill the “gap” left by the departure of Adrian Șut to the United Arab Emirates. The man who mediated the move, however, believes that the Israeli is clearly superior to the Romanian international.
“I say that Ofri Arad is two classes above Šut in all aspects! As a game vision, intelligence and level. It's something else. You'll see. You'll see for yourself. I have no interest in praising him. He played very little central defender. He feels good there in front of the defense, or a number 8, to be a box to box midfielder.
He played at level in the Champions League, other stakes, scored a goal with Inter Milan, played with Real Madrid. He is a player brought up at a good academy, at Maccabi Haifa. Everyone will see when they start playing what a difference in quality there is. Play fast, don't keep the ball rolling. He is the type of player who passes, goes, always looks for the free spaces, the ball, enters combinations. It is taught on another level, not with popcorn or static play. They update you immediately,” Stoian said, according to the source cited above.
