Steaua București owner George, or Gigi, Becali has reportedly insisted that new signing Gabriel Tamaș goes to church with him as part of a deal to bring the defender to the Romanian club.

The former West Brom and Watford player is said to have struggled with drink and Becali hopes to help him overcome this with the help of prayer and get a player on the cheap at the same time.

Sport.ro report him as claiming the arrangement is a world first (roughly translated by Bing):

We talked on the phone with Tamaș, I put more than one clause, not just the booze. I said … go to church with me, said to me … Uncle Heigh, Gigi, with matale go anywhere … we said well, on Sundays at 9:30, 10, go to church, he said, as it goes, I was impressed. I went over what he said with the clones, with neclone. Drink that it’s misfortune, it’s dangerous, cannot escape, I said that only through prayer can get rid of booze. It will be the first time in world football, player who goes to church with the patron, now after the training camp we go directly to the Church.

Controversial Romanian politician and businessman Becali also went on to compare the wages agreed with Tamaș with those requested by rival Astra Giurgiu’s Valerică Găman (again, roughly translated by Bing):

Găman asked 300,000 euros to signature and 25000 euros a month, and I said no. Better Tamaș, 1000 euros a month, right? If Tamaș lead sport and life has been training well has no equal as a central defender.