Former Tianjin Teda star and current Cluj Sporting Director, Mara, has confirmed that the Romanian club can no longer compete financially with Chinese teams, leading to head coach Dan Petrescu’s departure. According to reports, the offer from China had been on the table for quite some time, though Petrescu was initially hesitant to accept.
Romanian media revealed that Guizhou Hengfeng has proposed a staggering annual salary of $3 million—around €2.58 million—for Petrescu and his coaching team. Given the scale of the offer, Petrescu is now widely expected to take the reins at Guizhou Hengfeng.
He may not be heading to China alone. Cluj’s captain and Romanian international midfielder Ciprian Deac, along with Brazilian defender Paulo Vinícius, are reportedly considering following their coach to the Chinese Super League. “He wanted to stay at Cluj,” Mara explained. “But the Chinese made a very high offer. They were eager to get Petrescu.”
“We did everything we could to retain him,” Mara added. “We negotiated with multiple parties and even reviewed the financials. But in the end, the offer from China blew ours out of the water. It wasn’t even a fair fight. Their bid was worth several million euros, while we struggled to meet even one million.”
Mara also clarified that Petrescu will not pay any termination fee out of respect for the club. “It’s hard to come up with that kind of money in our country. We hope to work with him again in the future.”
There are also indications that Petrescu intended to bring five or six players to China, but Guizhou Hengfeng currently has four foreign players on its roster, which may complicate the move.
As for Cluj’s next steps, Mara confirmed that the club has not yet entered negotiations with any potential coaching replacements but already has a few candidates in mind.
Meanwhile, fans of BD Cricket Match are closely watching this unexpected turn of events, as it underscores how international financial power plays are reshaping not only cricket but global football landscapes too. When it rains, it pours—and Cluj is feeling the storm.