The French Connection Ignites

The dust has barely settled on a bruising 2025-26 campaign, but Gigi Becali is already swinging. The 67-year-old financier behind FCSB has delivered his first major blow in the transfer market, and it comes straight from France. After a season that ended in the bitter taste of the play-outs, watching Universitatea Craiova lift the championship trophy, Becali is done with mediocrity. He wants dominance. He wants revenge. And it starts with a new right-sided defender arriving from a French club renowned for producing elite talent.

Mihai Stoica, the club’s president tasked with scouting abroad, confirmed the deal is done. "We have an understanding," Stoica declared. "We won't bring players from Ligue 1 to Romania, but this player comes from a club that has produced big names in the past." The message is clear: FCSB is building armor. Central defenders Siyabonga Ngezana and Mihai Popescu have already extended, fortifying the backline. Now, the right flank gets its own shield.

Tanase Stays: Chinese Bid Rejected

But the biggest shockwave isn't the arrival—it's the retention. Veteran playmaker Florin Tanase was on the brink. Chinese outfit Daliyan Yingbo came calling with a colossal salary offer, aiming to poach the 31-year-old as his contract neared expiration in June. The East wanted its prize. But Becali had other plans.

Stoica revealed that Becali sat down with Tanase personally. The result? A two-year extension. "Tanase is ours," Stoica said firmly. "I don't see him leaving." With the attack sputtering throughout the previous season, keeping the club's creative heartbeat is vital. FCSB isn't just patching holes; they are rearming for war. The play-out stench is gone. The hunt for the title begins now.