Total blow that Dinamo can deliver » “The future starter of the national team” is ready for a spectacular transfer: 3,000,000 euros!

Dinamo bought Nikita for 450,000 euros from Netanya, but until now the 20-year-old player had not played a single match for the big “national team”. He was in the circuit of the representative teams, but only in the youth. There he collected 9 selections for the Under 21 team, and after his debut against Georgia, where he played 79 minutes, he was again called up to help with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The story of Nikita Stoinov, revealed by journalists in Israel

Journalists from ONE, one of the most important sites in Israel, started following Dinamo's defender. They “extended their antennae” everywhere, including in Romania to make a portrait as thorough as possible of the “future holder of the national team”, as they already call Nikita.

We'll take it one at a time. It's August 2024, when Israel coach Ran Ben Simon and his assistants Gal Cohen and Amir Shelah arrive at the match between Maccabi Netanya and Maccabi Haifa.

“Without any preconceived intention, the talent of a young centre-back, then only 19 years old, caught their eye. After doing some research, they learned his name was Nikita Stoinov and discussed him with Guy Luzon, the Olympic coach under whom he had been training.”Israeli journalists reveal.

Stoinov, whose family lives in Krayot, started his career at a young age at the Maccabi Haifa club academy, but later moved to lowly MK Neve Yosef. Maccabi Netanya's scout at the time, Vicky Glam, spotted his potential and from there a new story emerged.

“Nikita was already on his way to sign with Beitar Jerusalem's academy, a club owned at the time by businessman Moshe Hogeg. But while on his way to Jerusalem, he was persuaded by Netanya officials to return and sign with them.”write those from ONE.

Stoinov was already so mature that, in an unusual decision, he decided to share a room with then-academy forward Daniel Dapa, now at Hapoel Tel Aviv. Although the boarding school's rule was for players to be roomed with fellow players of the same age, at Netanya it was felt that Stoinov's guidance would do the forward good. And so it was: the defender imposed on him a strict regime of nutrition and training, which helped him later

Tomer Habaz, journalist ONE – Israel

“He chose Dinamo despite offers from Austria and MLS”

Marco Balbul, the coach of Maccabi Netanya, now talks about Nikita's evolution. “You could see he was holding his own, both physically and tactically, against mature and experienced players. After seeing him in the friendly matches against some strong teams, I decided to go with him as a starter”, said the technician.

Journalists note that Stoinov had begun to play less, and this “it made the possibility of a transfer abroad difficult and affected his value, but despite interest from two clubs in Austria and one from MLS, he decided on Dinamo Bucharest, a club known for developing young players and as an excellent springboard.”

Nikita Stoinov at the official presentation at Dinamo

Once he arrived in Bucharest, he didn't play in the first stages, but now he has 30 matches, 29 as a starter and a full-time player! Cosmin Mihalescu, sports director of Dinamo, was the one who chose Stoinov.

“In our scouting process, we zeroed in on Nikita because of his combination of potential and value already proven at senior football level. Thus, although we knew him from his junior days, we were pleasantly surprised to note that the transition to senior football was very well managed by Nikita, who retained his qualities even at a higher level of adversity“, Mihalescu declared for ONE, from Israel.

“Totally annihilated the opponent for the rest of the match”

Mihalescu made a detailed characterization of the player from the “dogs” court. “His move to Dinamo, his first experience outside his native country, was equally well managed by Nikita. In fact, I think this is his most important quality: the ability to adapt very, very quickly – both to changes in the environment, level of adversity, and to the specifics or typology of the direct opponent“.

I have experienced quite a few situations where, after the first 10-15 minutes of a match where he tried to figure out the movements of his direct opponent (the center forward), he completely annihilated the opponent for the rest of the match, winning all duels with him, be it aerial or on the ground, both by positioning in anticipation of the duel and by perfect timing of the action of dispossession or tackling

Cosmin Mihalescu, sports director of Dinamo

The very good performances therefore earned him a call-up to the big national team of Israel. And even if it was just a friendly match, the football people in Israel were impressed by his qualities and the very good form he is showing at Dinamo.

“One of the professional aspects that impressed the staff was the handling of the ball. Fears about his defensive play were allayed after watching him in one of his team's games. The ability to press on the fourth line, combined with defensive responsibilitywas confirmed after a discussion with the sports director and the coach, who praised him,” the Israeli journalists write.

Nikita Stoinov, in Dinamo's shirt/ photo Imago Images

“He could be sold in the summer for 2.5 and 3 million euros!”

According to them, Stoinov is described as having a photographic memory. In one of his first training sessions with the national team a few months ago, he managed to impress forward Yarden Shua, who told his teammates: “He is an honorable player.”

Calling now for a friendly is actually a springboard for the mandatory friendlies in June, then the Nations League games. Israel to play Austria, Ireland and Kosovo.

Journalists in Israel speculate that the 20-year-old defender could be sold in the summer for an amount between 2.5 and 3 million euros. “While there is interest from the American League and several European clubs, many believe he would be better off making the move to a bigger team in Europe,” he notes.

“There are not many defenders of his height who have such speed and ability to handle the ball. He reads the game excellently and has a strong personality. How far will it go? I've coached a lot of players and this is a question I get asked all the time. I think he has what it takes to go far. He is gaining experience in Europe and that will stand him in good stead. I wish him to be successful and reach as high as possible”, said Marco Balbul, the coach of Maccabi Netanya.

“His maturity is a great thing for a centre-back”

Completed in the ONE article, by Dinamo's sports director, Mihalescu says:

Cosmin Mihalescu, Dinamo's new sporting director / photo: Dinamo București Official

“It is clear that there are still things to improve, but we are very optimistic and excited to be able to work with a player who learns so quickly and is always open to understanding all aspects of the game and that we can contribute to his development. Also, his maturity is an extraordinary thing for a central defender of his age. It shows both on the pitch in the calmness with which he approaches situations and in the dressing room in his relationships with his teammates.”

A few months ago I had a very pleasant discussion with the staff of the Israel national team, with Messrs. Ran Ben Simon and Gal Cohen, about the present and the future of Nikita. The conclusion was a common one: we are talking about an extraordinary player who, although he has already proven his worth at a certain level, still retains a margin of potential that, managed correctly, will allow him to reach even higher

Cosmin Mihalescu, sports director of Dinamo