Romanian Midfielder Rareș Ilie Joins Catanzaro on Loan from Nice

Romanian attacking midfielder Rareș Ilie, aged 21, has secured a loan move from French club OGC Nice to Italian Serie B outfit Catanzaro for the remainder of the season. This transfer presents an opportunity for the young talent to gain valuable playing time with a team currently vying for promotion to Italy’s top division.

The loan agreement includes an option for Catanzaro to purchase Ilie outright at the conclusion of the season, though the financial details of this clause remain undisclosed. Since his arrival at Nice in July 2022, Ilie has struggled to make a significant impact, featuring in only 10 matches across all competitions, with eight of those appearances coming in Ligue 1. During this period, he failed to find the back of the net.

In search of regular playing time, Ilie had previously been loaned out to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel and Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland. His stint with the Swiss club proved more fruitful, as he managed to score three goals during his time there.

Catanzaro currently occupies the final playoff spot in Serie B, having accumulated 29 points from 22 league fixtures. The Italian club will be hoping that Ilie can contribute to their promotion aspirations and potentially secure a permanent move to Italy if he impresses during his loan spell.