Mihai Stoica, the 61-year-old president of FCSB’s board, has labeled the acquisition of winger Aymen Boutoutaou (25) as the “most complicated transfer I’ve ever made,” likening the Algerian’s playing style to that of renowned footballer Eden Hazard.
Boutoutaou is the latest player to join FCSB from Sochaux in France’s third league, with a transfer fee of €1.35 million, according to club owner Gigi Becali.
Originally a right winger, Boutoutaou can also play on the left flank or behind the striker, and Stoica was impressed by his performance during his first training session with the team.
The comparison to Eden Hazard, a top Belgian player praised for his time at Lille and Chelsea, follows coach Marius Baciu’s earlier remarks that the French national team style aligns closely with what FCSB aims to achieve.
Mihai Stoica on Aymen Boutoutaou: “The Most Complicated Transfer I’ve Ever Made”
Stoica explained, “I don’t believe there is a significant risk with him. Let me explain why. In January, we received a list, and the player who stood out was Aymen. I work with a highly regarded scout from France.
Everyone agreed he was the best player, and we should make efforts to acquire him. We made an offer at that time, but Sochaux was aiming for promotion and had no intention of selling their best player.
Since then, I watched all of Sochaux’s games and discovered other interesting players. I wished he had played worse so we could afford him, but he excelled in every match.
We initially abandoned the pursuit but later resumed it by chance and put in considerable effort. Gigi told us, ‘If I hear you discussing him this much, sign him.’ It was quite complicated due to many obstacles,” Stoica revealed on PrimaSport.
MM Stoica Compares Boutoutaou to Eden Hazard: “Exactly His Profile”
Stoica noted, “Of course, nobody can guarantee success… We often mention Eden Hazard, who had a phenomenal run at Lille and Chelsea, but struggled at Real Madrid.
Aymen is precisely the mold of Eden Hazard, a player with a great start, capable of playing in all three positions behind the striker.
Today, I saw him train for the first time and he made a fantastic impression on everyone. However, training differs from friendly matches, and playing in the third league in France is not the same as our league, which is challenging. We are currently focused on the Conference League, a new competition for him, as he has only played international matches at junior and youth levels for Algeria.
I am convinced that if he stays healthy, which I wish for all our players, he can quickly step up to the Algeria national team and be a player whose release clause would be activated, although I won’t reveal it,” the board president added.
“I Am Convinced He Will Start on Thursday”
In conclusion, Stoica expressed confidence that Aymen will start on Thursday against FK Auda in the second preliminary round of the Conference League.
“I don’t know what will happen, but I sincerely hope he will be the player we all believe he is, one who can make a difference. I am convinced he will be a starter on Thursday.
He has prepared for two and a half weeks with Sochaux, which recently defeated Zurich 2-1 in a friendly, where he scored the first goal and played exceptionally. I believe he is ready.
The only concern I have is the dreadful pitch we have to play on. It’s nobody’s fault, not even the groundskeepers. A fungus… The field looks terrible,” the FCSB official concluded.
