Julio Velázquez has rejected Cătălin Itu, an attacking midfielder from Lokomotiv Plovdiv. The 26-year-old Romanian was being considered for recruitment by the 'Blues' since the winter, and the interest continued for this summer, but the final decision of the Spanish coach was negative. The coach of the team from the capital believed that the player from the 'black and whites' has good qualities but is not at the level of a team aiming for high goals. Itu has been capped 7 times for the Romania U21 team and is under contract with the Bulgarian club until June 2027. In the 2025/2026 efbet Liga season, he made 47 appearances, scoring 6 goals and providing 8 assists. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is estimated to be €750k.