Adrian Mihalcea, head coach of UTA Arad, recently acknowledged the team’s current lack of readiness for the upcoming SuperLiga season, citing an incomplete squad as a key challenge following their training camp in Slovenia. Since returning to Romania, UTA has actively worked to bolster its roster by signing two full-backs, including the latest acquisition of left-back Andrea Padula.
On July 7, UTA Arad officially announced the signing of Andrea Padula, a 29-year-old defender holding dual Italian and Romanian citizenship. Padula joins from FCU Craiova, where he was a pivotal figure over the past two seasons, serving as captain in the previous campaign in Romania’s Liga II. During his tenure at FCU Craiova, he made 54 appearances, scored 2 goals, and contributed important assists, demonstrating leadership and consistency.
Padula’s career is marked by experience in several European leagues, having played in Switzerland for clubs including Basel—where he featured in 20 matches—Lugano, Chiasso, Wil, and Bellinzona, as well as a stint in Italy with Monza. His versatility allows him to operate primarily as a left-back but also cover central defensive roles, standing at 1.83 meters tall.
In the recently concluded season, Padula appeared in 24 Liga II matches, scoring a goal in a 1-1 draw against CSC Șelimbăr and providing an assist in a 2-0 play-out win versus Concordia Chiajna. Despite his contributions, FCU Craiova failed to secure promotion or even a play-off spot, leading to his transfer.
Interestingly, Padula had expressed ambitions to join Romanian champions FCSB earlier this year but was retained by FCU Craiova’s management at the time. He remains open to significant career moves, stating his readiness for new challenges and acknowledging interest from multiple Romanian clubs, including FC Botoșani. His move to UTA represents a fresh opportunity to compete at the top tier.
UTA’s recent signings, including Padula, reflect the club’s intent to deepen their squad ahead of the 2025–2026 SuperLiga season. Alongside Padula, UTA has secured talents such as Kosovar forward Mevlan Zeka, Ukrainian defender Dmitro Pospelov, midfielder Alin Roman, and North Macedonian defender Din Alomerovic.
Padula could make his debut for UTA in a high-profile encounter against his former club’s city rival, Universitatea Craiova, on July 12, marking a compelling narrative for the season opener.
This strategic reinforcement aims to address coach Mihalcea’s concerns over squad depth and readiness, potentially enhancing UTA’s competitiveness in a demanding league campaign.