Article by Romeo Ene – Published Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 6:04 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 6:08 p.m.
Rapid confirmed interest in his return Rares Ilie (23 years old)! Daniel Pancu (48 years old) announced that he wants the offensive midfielder in Giulesti and admitted that he had already discussed with the footballer during this period.
As GSP.ro revealed exclusively on May 28, Rapid tries to bring back Rareș Ilie. The footballer currently belongs to Nice and is entering the final year of his contract with the Ligue 1 outfit. Last season, he was on loan at Empoli.
Daniel Pancu wants Rareș Ilie back at Rapid: “Rapidists need something that belongs to them on the field”
Rareș Ilie was the first important player sold by Dan Șucu after taking over the club. In the summer of 2022, Rapid sold him to Nice for 4 million euros, and now there are chances that the footballer will return to Giulesti.
Pancu did not hide his admiration for his former student from the U21 national team and confirmed that there were recent discussions between the two regarding his situation.
“Rareș Ilie is a player I really want, now I don't know the conditions very well. He belongs to Nice. I talked to him these days, he's getting married tomorrow, it's the civil wedding. It's a good thing.
Everything is changing at Nice, the shareholders, the sporting director, the coach, everything. He is in the last year of his contract. He's a player I really want, I don't hide it.
The speed players need something that belongs to them in the field, they always have,” said Daniel Pancu, according to digisport.ro.
Rareș Ilie could return to Rapid // photo: Imago Images
In the four years spent under contract with Nice, Rareș Ilie ticked only 10 matches for the French team and was loaned to Maccabi Tel Aviv, Lausanne-Sport, Catanzaro and Empoli.
In the 2025-26 season, the midfielder made 28 appearances for 16th-placed Empoli in Serie B, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
The return to Rapid could be realized either in the form of a new loan or through a definitive transfer, if the clubs reach an agreement regarding the transfer amount.
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In the shirt of Rapid, Rareș Ilie collected 60 matches, scored 9 goals and provided 16 decisive assists.
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So far, the only transfer made by Rapid this summer is Mohammed Kamara, brought from CFR Cluj.
€1,200,000is worth Ilie on Transfermarkt. The highest mark in her career was reached in 2024 – 3.3 million
