News and Views
Adrian Popa Signing Confirmed
30 January 2017
By Hob Nob Anyone?
The club have confirmed the incoming transfer of 28 year old Romanian winger Adrian Popa. The deal was widely reported in Romanian media last week after the club made revised bids for the player who was due to be out of contract in the summer. An initial bid of 500K Euros was turned down, but the Royals went back with an increased bid of 600K Euros which was accepted by Steaua Bucharest.
Popa has an impressive CV with 21 senior caps for Romania, three league titles with Steaua Bucharest and appearances in the Champions League and Europa League. Popa signed for Steaua in the summer of 2012 and went on to make 113 appearances for his side, hitting 16 goals in the process. His last appearance was in December when he scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win. He has also scored two goals for his country so far this season, including what turned out to be a crucial late goal in a 1-1 draw with Montenegro in a World Cup qualifier.
The confirmed signing of Popa is not expected to be Reading's final activity in the transfer market with Reading boss Jaap Stam hinting at a couple of likely signings last week. Popa is also seen as a good deal on transfer fees for the club, leaving money spare from the 10.4 million transfer and contract pot that was loaned by the club's potential new Chinese owners earlier this month. Fans will be hoping for one further signing to join new players Tiago Ilori and Adrian Popa, before the transfer window closes tomorrow evening at 11pm.
Discussion On This Story:
Sutekh
25 goals in 210 league games for Steaua, very roughly an average of around 1 goal every 8 games
28 years old and in last 6 months of contract
Not to be confused with Adrian Popa, 26, who is a Romanian centre back for Alcala
Another winger because Reading don't do strikers any more
Ian Royal
But for some reason has a touch of the Royston's about him for me.
Still, most of our best transfers have been players more intended for the next season rather than making an instant hit.
Nameless
from those clips he looks very useful, like he's the answer to the old question of what Glen Little would have been like if he had pace.
Compare those clips with some of the moves Beerens was doing on Tuesday and you could think we have a mirror image !
Is this one of those 'opportunistic' signings, or is it giving us the option to cash in on McCleary in the summer if we don't make promotion ?
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