'He's too expensive' - Ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu insists Brighton target Otele is overpriced

Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has questioned the asking price CFR Cluj have set for Nigerian winger Philip Otele, stating that the fee requested by Ioan Varga, the owner of the Romanian Liga 1 club, is exaggerated.

The 25-year-old is attracting genuine interest from Premier League side Brighton & Hove and also has admirers in France, Germany and Turkey. 

CFR Cluj chief Varga has sensationally claimed that his Nigerian jewel is valued at seven million euros, three more than his asking price in the January transfer window, where bids of 1.3 million euros and 1.8 million euros were rejected from Bordeaux and Lorient respectively.

26-time Romanian Liga 1 champions FCSB have been quoted a fee of six million euros to sign Otele. 

Otele notched nineteen goal involvements (13 goals, 6 assists) in the regular season, a feat that saw him named in the Liga Profesionistă de Fotbal's Best XI.

Mutu has argued that the Nigerian is not worth up to seven-eight million euros, given that he struggled to replicate those performances in the SuperLiga - Championship group, having registered just one assist after four games.

It is believed that Mutu has an axe to grind with CFR Cluj after leaving the club in acrimonious circumstances earlier this month, following a 4-0 loss to Corvinul Hunedoara in the Romanian Cup.

In quotes relayed by Digisport, Mutu explained: "I don't think FCSB wants Otele, he's too expensive. In addition, he did not score a goal in the play-offs.

"Look at Coman, then Otele. He didn't score a goal, and you want millions on him. Let him give it now for 300,000, maybe he won't take those either.

"There's no way you can sell a player who doesn't make a difference in the play-offs".

Otele is under contract at CFR Club until June 2025 and his deal with the Railwaymen includes the option of an additional season.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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