Digi Sport reports that Universitatea Craiova did not accept a proposal from FCSB to swap Aymen Boutoutaou for Steven Nsimba. The report adds that FCSB no longer wants Boutoutaou because he did not convince Gigi Becali.

FCSB proposed a swap deal to Universitatea Craiova, offering Aymen Boutoutaou and approximately 800,000 euros for Steven Nsimba. According to Spotmedia, Universitatea Craiova would want 1.2 million euros plus Aymen Boutoutaou to allow Steven Nsimba to join FCSB. A response from Gigi Becali is awaited following the counteroffer from Universitatea Craiova.

Pavel Badea, president of Clubul Sportiv Universitatea Craiova, stated that he does not believe such a swap between the two teams is possible.

Gigi Becali plans to transfer Aymen Boutoutaou to Universitatea Craiova in exchange for Steven Nsimba and would also pay a significant sum of money for the player. However, Mihai Stoica stated that he would not agree to trade Aymen Boutoutaou for any player in the Romanian league, while also noting that the final decision belongs to Gigi Becali. Stoica said he spoke with Boutoutaou's agents, and they did not inform him that Universitatea Craiova wanted the player. He added that Boutoutaou had no reaction after learning about the planned exchange and was smiling at training. Mihai Stoica also said he is not involved in this exchange and that there are many unknowns regarding the situation.

Digi Sport reports on a potential player exchange between FCSB and Craiova involving Aymen Boutoutaou and Steven Nsimba. Gigi Becali announced that discussions are in progress and, if an agreement is reached, Aymen Boutoutaou will go to Craiova and Steven Nsimba will come to Bucharest now. The two players would only train with their new teams and would be eligible to play once the transfer window opens in January. In exchange for the striker, FCSB would give Boutoutaou to Craiova as well as a sum of money of around 800,000 euros.

According to Sport.ro, Gigi Becali stated he has reached an agreement with Mihai Rotaru, the shareholder of Universitatea Craiova, for a player swap between FCSB and Universitatea Craiova. As part of the deal, Aymen Boutoutaou, who arrived at FCSB this summer, will be transferred to Universitatea Craiova. The contract is expected to be signed in winter, and the players will start training with their new clubs with the agreement of both parties.

Gigi Becali has announced he is willing to sell 25-year-old Algerian and French winger Aymen Boutoutaou to a SuperLiga rival, naming Dinamo, Rapid, and Universitatea Craiova. Becali has instructed Mihai Stoica to ask for 500,000 euros for the player, for whom he reportedly paid 1.3 million euros, adding that he is prepared to accept an 800,000 euro loss. Becali also claimed that representatives from Craiova, Rapid, and Dinamo, including Nicolescu, had expressed that they liked the player. In response, Dinamo official Andrei Nicolescu stated on VOYO SPORT LIVE that Boutoutaou was on Dinamo's list a year prior, but the price was an amount the club could not afford at that time as well. Nicolescu considers the current 500,000 euro asking price too high for Dinamo's situation and jokingly remarked that if Craiova and Rapid do not offer the requested amount, Dinamo might then enter negotiations. Boutoutaou joined FCSB in July 2026 and has a contract with the club until June 30, 2029. His current market value is estimated by Transfermarkt at €800k, and he has one cap and one goal for the Algeria U23 team.