Victor Angelescu, minority shareholder and president of Rapid București, has disclosed that the club’s budget for the upcoming season is approximately €14 million.
Angelescu also discussed the club’s transfer strategies and the current status of its players.
Budget Insights: Angelescu on Rapid’s Financial State
“The budget is around €13-14 million. It’s not an extraordinary budget; compared to teams in neighboring countries, we are behind. Greece and Serbia also have clubs that pay significantly more. Even in Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb has a higher budget,” he stated during the “Fotbal Club” program on Digi Sport.
He noted that the University of Craiova has a budget of €23 million this season, which is quite substantial. “I suspect transfers are also included in that figure. Financially speaking, this situation is not just. We previously had a budget exceeding €13 million, including approximately €2 million on transfers, which are investments,” added Angelescu.
Regarding the potential transfer of Jason Kador, he mentioned, “Yes, we are in discussions. We will announce at the right time; we want national team players and young talents. We have been interested for some time and hope to sign him. I cannot comment on the competition for him, but we certainly want him.”
On the imminent departure of Benjamin Siegrist, Angelescu stated, “He is under contract with Rapid but does not wish to stay. We can’t keep someone who does not want to continue here. He is not with the team and was loaned to Genoa, where he has until the end of the month. He has informed us that he does not want to continue; likely, a solution will be found for him to move elsewhere. Coach Pancu is satisfied with Aioani, and we also have Ungureanu, who had a very good season at Sepsi. We still have Briciu and Iliev, so we’re not looking for a goalkeeper right now.”
If we receive a very good offer for any player, there’s a possibility to sell them, but we will see. We only sell if the offer is very attractive. – Victor Angelescu, President of Rapid
Angelescu on Player Acquisitions: Interest in Rareș Ilie
“Pancu had his requests. For instance, we want Rareș Ilie. We cannot gauge the situation at Nice; I spoke to his agent, and he is trying to negotiate with the club, but currently, there is no one available to discuss as they are on holiday,” Angelescu mentioned.
He also discussed Kamara, saying they had talks before Pancu became the coach as he was a known free agent, a player who can make a difference. “We signed him before Pancu arrived. There are no issues; we have completed all investigations. Either CFR made a mistake, or the player has recovered; he has been performing well in training and during friendlies,” he explained.
Angelescu confirmed that Jambor will join the team for training camp, where final assessments will be made regarding his future, and mentioned that Pancu has expressed a positive view towards Jambor.
Angelescu on Kader Keita’s Situation: Employment Rights
Addressing Kader Keita’s legal troubles related to a manslaughter charge, Angelescu said, “We are looking into it, as this is a significant issue. First and foremost, you cannot deny a person the right to work. There is an ongoing process. He has a family, children; you cannot just terminate his contract and leave him on the street. It is complicated for him and for us. I am unsure about his mental state; he claims to be fine. We will see what happens. He had a few days allowed to return home, to France. As far as I know, there is a possibility for him to join the training camp.”
Pancu will assess all players in the coming weeks and will make final decisions regarding whom to keep or loan. We have the youngest team, younger than Farul Constanța. I believe we have the youngest squad by a wide margin. We are still looking for a central defender and a central midfielder and will likely bring in one or two attackers depending on various circumstances. – Victor Angelescu, President of Rapid
