Stanciu’s imminent signing marks the end of Yingbo’s two-year quest for a “hardcore” player.

Special contributor/Ding Xu Although Dalian Yingbo Football Club has not formally announced Stanciu’s transfer, the Romanian national player’s arrival in Dalian and successful medical examination have made his return to the Chinese Super League certain.

On the afternoon of January 25, Dalian Yingbo officially published a video titled “Sneak Peek! Tonight at 8:30 PM, Zhoushuizi International Airport, the hardcore arrives!” This 8-minute video showcases highlights from Stanciu’s career and officially announces to the public that Stanciu is about to join Dalian Yingbo.

Before the 2026 CSL winter transfer window opened, rumors about Stanciu’s move to Dalian Yingbo were already widespread, and ultimately, Dalian Yingbo successfully secured this Romanian international.

Niculae Claudiu Stanciu, born May 7, 1993, is an active Romanian international standing 170cm tall, playing as an attacking midfielder. He began his career at Romania’s Alba Iulia, then played for domestic clubs Vaslui and Steaua Bucharest. In summer 2016, Stanciu transferred to Belgian giants Anderlecht for €11 million, setting his personal transfer record. He has also played for Czech clubs Sparta Prague and Slavia Prague, as well as Saudi club Al-Ittihad Jeddah. For the national team, Stanciu has appeared 84 times, scoring 15 goals in European qualifiers, the European Championship, Nations League, and World Cup qualifiers, serving as a midfield key player.

Chinese fans are quite familiar with Stanciu. On February 15, 2022, he transferred to Wuhan Three Towns for a €4 million fee, making him the highest-priced signing of that CSL season. During his year and a half at Wuhan, he played 53 matches across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 26 assists. In September 2023, Stanciu moved to Saudi club Damac. His former club highly praised him: “As a midfield core, Stanciu fought alongside teammates with dedication and full commitment, playing a crucial role in winning the CSL and Super Cup titles. His professionalism and discipline both on the pitch and in training impressed us deeply.”

In summer 2025, Stanciu joined Serie A veteran club Genoa on a free transfer, marking his first time playing in Europe’s top five leagues. On January 19 this year, Genoa and Stanciu mutually terminated the contract after just six months. During his time at Genoa, he appeared in 7 league and Italian Cup matches, scoring once against Vicenza.

After tough negotiations, Dalian Yingbo finally convinced Stanciu to return to the CSL. On the evening of January 26, Dalian’s Deputy Director of Sports Wang Wenyong, Yingbo’s General Manager Chen Dong, and nearly a thousand fans welcomed him at Zhoushuizi International Airport.

Over the past two seasons, Dalian Yingbo has struggled with scoring difficulties. In the 2024 China League One season, they scored 44 goals, averaging 1.47 per game, fewer than 7th place Suzhou Dongwu. In 2025 CSL, they scored 30 goals, averaging 1 per game, ranking second last in the league, only 4 goals more than bottom-ranked Changchun Yatai.

It must be admitted that Dalian Yingbo faces a “lack of striking power” dilemma, but instead of directly adjusting the forward line, the team aimed to boost attacking strength by upgrading the organizational core to create more chances for attackers. Last summer, they signed Brazilian midfielder Pena, but he failed to invigorate the team and left after six months on loan. With a big investment in Stanciu, Yingbo finally solved the two-season-long problem of lacking a “hardcore” midfielder.

Currently in the CSL, Stanciu is undoubtedly a top foreign player. He has played in the Champions League, is an active Romanian international, and is expected to participate in the upcoming World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico. After joining Dalian Yingbo, he will surely become the team’s absolute core. Notably, set pieces, long shots, and playmaking—historical weaknesses of Yingbo—are among Stanciu’s strengths.

This winter window, Dalian Yingbo has already announced new signings including Li Ang, Luo Jing, Liu Weiguo, and Zhang Huachen, with 20-year-old prospect Sun Kangbo soon to be announced. With Stanciu’s arrival, the main squad for the new season is nearly set, except for two starting winger spots still undecided. Whoever fills the foreign winger role will definitely be a starter. If Liu Zhurun’s loan cannot be extended, the club may look elsewhere or promote internally, with Luo Jing, Mao Weijie, Yang Mingrui competing, and Zhu Pengyu able to fill in if needed.

Barring surprises, Dalian Yingbo will continue to use a four-defender system next season, though whether it will be 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, or 4-1-4-1 remains to be tested. Yingbo completed the first phase of winter training in Haikou, playing five friendlies with a 4-1 record. However, with two foreign players absent and key players supporting national teams, the squad was incomplete. Thus, the first phase in Haikou focused mainly on player evaluation.

On January 30, Dalian Yingbo will depart for Dubai for the second phase of training. During this overseas camp, Yingbo will face several foreign clubs to finalize tactics for the new season. Stanciu is versatile in the attacking midfield and forward roles—he can play as a central attacking midfielder, shadow striker, second striker, central midfielder, or even winger. Based on current squad composition, Stanciu is very likely to serve as the lone attacking midfielder or partner with Liao Jintao in a double midfield. It’s also possible he could replace Pena and partner with Malalai or Zhu Pengyu up front.

Whatever the formation, Stanciu will be the “brain” of Dalian Yingbo next season, marking the club’s most high-profile foreign signing ever. Following the successful returns of former teammates Davidson and Aziz to the CSL, Stanciu hopes to replicate his outstanding form from Wuhan Three Towns at Dalian Yingbo.