Ioan Varga, the patron of CFR Cluj, confirmed that striker Alibek Aliev's contract will not be extended and that he has been released from the club. Varga stated that Aliev, who had a salary of around 20,000 euros, did not deserve the money, remarking that the player scored five goals, not twenty. Varga explained the decision is part of a change in strategy, as he no longer wishes to retain highly-paid players who do not perform exceptionally. Following his departure, the 29-year-old Swedish-Russian footballer may continue in the Superliga, as he is in negotiations with CFR's rival, Universitatea Cluj. Aliev joined CFR Cluj in January 2026 and, during the 2025/2026 season, made a combined 19 appearances in the SuperLiga and SuperLiga Championship group, scoring 4 goals and providing 5 assists. The former Sweden U18 international has a current market value of €650k, according to Transfermarkt.