Universitatea Craiova, the reigning champions of Romania, are making waves in the transfer market as they bid to strengthen their squad for the Champions League qualifiers. The club has already made three official signings, with Răzvan Sava, Alexandru Maxim, and Ronaldo Webster joining the ranks. However, the team’s management is not done yet, with Simon Elisor, a Portuguese attacker, and Heri Tavares, a versatile player, reportedly set to join the club soon.
The Biggest Spend in Club History
The Romanians have broken the bank to bring in some of their top targets, with a total spend of over €5.5 million on four transfers so far. The most expensive signing to date has been Răzvan Sava from Udinese, who cost the club €2.5 million. Additionally, Ronaldo Webster has been signed for a reported €400,000. The club is expected to shell out another €1.5 million for Simon Elisor and around €1 million for Heri Tavares. This would make this transfer window the most expensive in the club’s history under the management of Mihai Rotaru.
Sums Spent on Transfers Over the Years
The table below shows the sums spent by Universitatea Craiova on transfers over the years:
| Season | Spend |
| — | — |
| 2025/2026 | €3,975,000 |
| 2024/2025 | €1,240,000 |
| 2023/2024 | €1,130,000 |
| 2021/2022 | €355,000 |
| 2020/2021 | €1,000,000 |
| 2019/2020 | €2,710,000 |
| 2018/2019 | €3,350,000 |
| 2017/2018 | €1,115,000 |
| 2016/2017 | €150,000 |
| 2015/2016 | €100,000 |
| 2014/2015 | €980,000 |
| 2013/2014 | €650,000 |
Big Spend on Goalkeepers
Răzvan Sava, who joined the club from Udinese, is the most expensive goalkeeper to have been signed by Universitatea Craiova. The club had previously signed Alexandru Cicâldău from Farul for €2.3 million, while Andrei Ivan from Rapid Viena cost €1.5 million. Other significant signings include Assad Al-Hamlawi and Luca Băsceanu, who both cost €1 million each.
With these big signings, Universitatea Craiova is showing its ambitions to compete in the top European competitions. As the team’s management continues to strengthen the squad, fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the new season.
Will this big spend pay off for Universitatea Craiova, or will it come at a cost in terms of performance? Only time will tell.