Universitatea Craiova has completed the signing of 25-year-old Ukrainian central defender Oleksandr Romanchuk from Kryvbas, marking their eighth transfer of the summer. The 1.93-meter tall defender, who was named in the Ukrainian league’s Team of the Season for 2024/2025, has signed a three-year contract with the Romanian club.
Romanchuk, a former Ukraine U21 international, featured in 30 matches across all competitions last season for Kryvbas. His previous clubs include PFC Lviv in Ukraine and Debreceni VSC in Hungary. Universitatea Craiova paid approximately €750,000 for the transfer, with Transfermarkt valuing him around €900,000.
The club proudly introduced Romanchuk as their new “control tower” in defense, signaling their ambition to solidify the backline ahead of the new campaign. This signing fits into a broader reconstruction strategy highlighted by club legend Sorin Cârțu, who praised the club’s active transfer window—the most productive since 2014. Cârțu emphasized the blend of youth and experience in the squad, with plans to add at least one more striker before the season starts. The club’s objectives remain ambitious: finishing in the top three of Liga I, competing strongly for the Romanian league title, securing European competition qualification, and winning the Romanian Cup.
Romanchuk’s arrival, alongside other new signings like Luca Băsceanu, Mihnea Rădulescu, and others, underlines Craiova’s commitment to a competitive rebuild aimed at ending recent seasons’ disappointments and making a mark domestically and in Europe.
*Insight:* The addition of Romanchuk could provide the defensive solidity Craiova needs to challenge for the Liga I title and European competition spots in the 2025/26 season.