Nicolae Mitea signs two year Ajax contract
01 August: Ajax has added yet another newcomer to its squad
for the 2003-2004 season: Romanian left winger Nicolae Mitea
signed a two year contract at the Amsterdam ArenA today. An
option to extend the contract with another two seasons is
included in the deal. The young Romanian won a contract in
Amsterdam by performing well during his try-out in
pre-season.
Nicolae Mitea has hardly any experience on the highest
level. The 18 year-old left footer, born 24 March 1985, played
only nine games in Romania's highest division for FC Dinamo
Bucharest. He also won the 2003 Cup of Romania with Dinamo. He
is a regular in the Romanian U21 team and a product of the
youth system of FC Dinamo's city rivals, Rapid Bucharest.
Mitea was offered for a try-out by Giovanni Becali, player
agent of Ajax goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont and former Ajax captain
Cristian Chivu. Mitea played five pre-season friendlies for
Ajax-1. He made a good impression on head-coach Ronald Koeman
and scored two goals. He also played one friendly match for
Young Ajax, at Dutch amateur side ADO '20. In that game he also
notched one goal.
Given his young age, plus stiff first squad competition from
players such as Wamberto and Victor Sikora, it is in the line
of expectation that Mitea will see a lot more Young Ajax action
this season. He is expected to be signed as a player for the
future.
After Mitea had signed his contract goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont
acted as the interpreter of Mitea's first words to
the Dutch press: "The fact that I am now an Ajax player is like
a dream coming true. Ajax is one of the greatest clubs in the
world." Thanks to Bogdan Lobont we also know that Mitea's first
name is usually abbreviated to 'Nicky'. Mitea will return to
Romania today, in order to work out the administrative details
of his transfer to The Netherlands.
Ajax is remarkably active on the transfer market this
summer. Nicolae Mitea is Ajax's fifth newcomer, after Sander
Boschker, Wesley Sonck, Julien Escude and Zdenek Grygera. And
there is a fair chance that the Romanian will not be the last
purchase. After Mitea's official presentation head-coach Ronald
Koeman confirmed that Ajax still hasn't given up on Nigerian
winger Kalu Uche, who refused to play a Champions League game
for his club Wisla Krakow, was subsequently suspended by his
club for six months and has not been at the club since.
Koeman also confirmed Ajax's interest in Portugese
international Sergio Conceicao, who played for Internazionale
from Italy last season, but no longer sees a future in Milan
after Inter's signing of - how ironic - Ajax's Andy van der
Meyde... (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl, VI.nl
Related links
