Petrolul head Claudiu Tudor has said Rapid still owe 200.000 de euro for the transfer of Robert Sălceanu, adding an awkward off-field layer to the Primvs derby in Ploiești.
Speaking on 21 August 2026 at 19:35, just before the 20:30 kick-off, Tudor said Petrolul had already complained to the commissions and won a ruling over the debt, but that Rapid had taken the matter to appeal. His message was clear: the money is still not in Petrolul's hands.
That makes Petrolul Vs Rapid București more than just another derby. It is now a fixture played against the backdrop of a disputed transfer fee, with the club president saying: “Sunt cei 200.000 de euro.”
What Claudiu Tudor said about the debt
Tudor did not soften the issue. He said: “Am reclamat la comisii, am câștigat, ei au făcut recurs.” In other words, Petrolul believe they have already done the hard work to establish the debt, but Rapid have not accepted the outcome and have pushed the case further.
He also said: “Rapid a ajuns să fie datoare la Petrolul.” For a derby that already carries local tension, that is the kind of line that sharpens the edge even more.
Why this matters before the derby
The transfer dispute concerns Robert Sălceanu, who was bought by Rapid in January 2026. Tudor said he was genuinely surprised by the situation, adding: “Sincer, am rămas uimit, dar probabil probleme sunt peste tot, așa cum sunt și la noi.”
He also pointed to the wider football picture by mentioning Dan Șucu and Genoa in Serie A, suggesting that the issue sits inside a bigger conversation about how clubs handle their business. But the immediate point remains straightforward: Petrolul say the debt is real, the ruling has gone their way, and the payment has still not been made.
For Petrolul, that is a frustrating reality heading into a derby. For Rapid, it creates an unnecessary distraction at a time when the football itself should be the main story. The next step will be whether the appeal changes anything, but for now Tudor's position is simple: the 200.000 de euro are still outstanding.
