Jean Tigana is trying to make pounds 4m-rated
Romanian striker Marius Niculae his next big signing.
The Dinamo Bucharest prospect has banged in six goals in his nine internationals.
The 21 year old Niculae, 6' 1 high, will cost around pounds 4m, a fee
recently offered by Turkish giants Galatasaray. His wages are also reasonable
as he is only on pounds 600-a-week.
Dinamo will sell after Niculae rejected a 'record' contract of pounds
75,000-a-year. Dinamo are resigned to losing their major asset at the
end of the season, despite offering Nicolae improved terms on his existing
contract.
The player explained: "I agreed to stay until the end of this season,
as I considered that to go abroad last season would be foolish. I was
younger then and needed to wait and mature and build up my strength in
Romanian football. But now I am ready to play in a big team without being
injured so I can succeed.
Niculae is an exciting young prospect both for Dinamo and the Romania
national side. He is an athletic striker, very strong, tall and fast who
is confident both in the air and on the ground and can score with either
foot.
Italian club Lecce, attempted to prize him away from Dinamo in June 1999
for £2 million but he refused the transfer, saying he was too young
to go abroad. .
Compared in Romania to Andrei Shevchenko, he is difficult to dispossess
he is good at holding the ball up or running at defenders. He has quick
reflexes in the box but is not noted for his pace.
Scored on his debut for Dinamo Bucharest at the age of 15 in a 5-2 win
over Farul Constanta on 22 November 1996. Also scored on his Romania debut
- a 2-0 win over Latvia in February 2000. Scored three goals in his first
five internationals for Romania, including a 25-yard free kick in the
2-0 win over South Africa in January 2001.
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Source The People and Onesoccer