Valentin Gheorghe
Valentin Gheorghe (Romanian pronunciation: [valenˈtin ˈɡe̯orɡe]; born 14 February 1997) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga I club Universitatea Cluj.
.jpg.webp) Gheorghe with FCSB in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Valentin Gheorghe | ||
| Date of birth | 14 February 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Ploiești, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Universitatea Cluj | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2015 | Astra Giurgiu | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2021 | Astra Giurgiu | 108 | (20) |
| 2015–2016 | → Afumați (loan) | ||
| 2021–2023 | FCSB | 29 | (6) |
| 2022–2023 | → Ümraniyespor (loan) | 24 | (1) |
| 2023– | Universitatea Cluj | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Romania U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021 | Romania Olympic | 3 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 July 2021 | |||
A product of Astra Giurgiu, Gheorghe had a loan spell at Afumați before going on to amass over 100 matches in the top flight for his boyhood club. Following Astra's relegation in 2021, he transferred back to the Liga I with FCSB.
Internationally, Gheorghe was capped once for Romania at under-21 level and represented the under-23 team in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Club career
Early career / Astra Giurgiu
Gheorghe spent his formative years in the academy of Astra Ploiești, which in 2012 relocated its first-team squad to the city of Giurgiu. He made his senior debut with the reserves in the lower leagues, and for the 2015–16 campaign was loaned out to Liga III side Afumați.[1] Upon his return to Astra, he was promoted to the first team and recorded his professional debut at age 19, in a goalless Liga I draw with Pandurii Târgu Jiu on 31 July 2016.[2]
On 27 October 2016, Gheorghe scored his first Astra goal in a 0–1 victory over NMM Becicherecu Mic in the Cupa României. He made his European debut on 27 July 2017, in a 0–0 draw with Oleksandriya in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.[3] Gheorghe imposed himself as a regular in the 2018–19 season, totalling six goals from 31 appearances in all competitions.
The following campaign, Gheorghe netted ten times to become Astra's second-best goalscorer in the league behind Denis Alibec. He was a starter in the 2019 and 2021 Cupa României finals lost 1–2 to Viitorul Constanța and 2–3 to Universitatea Craiova, respectively, with the Ilie Oană Stadium in his native Ploiești hosting both. Gheorghe was named man of the match in the latter game,[4] the last of a season which ended in relegation for Astra.
FCSB
On 3 September 2021, Gheorghe returned to the Liga I by signing a five-year contract with FCSB.[5] Nine days later, he scored on debut in a 6–0 derby thrashing of Dinamo București at the Arena Națională.[6]
Mostly used a second-half substitute, Gheorghe totalled seven goals from 29 appearances in all competitions during his first year in Bucharest.
Loan to Ümraniyespor
Gheorghe agreed to a one-season loan deal with Turkish club Ümraniyespor on 29 June 2022.[7] In the Süper Lig opener against Fenerbahçe on 8 August, he replaced Yonathan Del Valle in the 64th minute and netted a goal for an eventual 3–3 draw.[8]
Universitatea Cluj
On 31 August 2022, Gheorghe agreed to a deal for an undisclosed period with Liga I side Universitatea Cluj.[9]
International career
In June 2021, Gheorghe was selected by manager Mirel Rădoi in Romania's squad for the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics.[10] He started in the opening 1–0 win over Honduras[11] and entered as a substitute in the other two matches of an eventual group-stage exit.
On 3 March 2023, Gheorghe received a preliminary call-up to the Romania senior team for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification matches against Andorra and Belarus,[12] but did not make the final list.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Astra Giurgiu | 2016–17 | Liga I | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2017–18 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |||||
| 2018–19 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | 31 | 6 | ||||||
| 2019–20 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 32 | 11 | ||||||
| 2020–21 | 35 | 8 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | 40 | 9 | ||||||
| 2021–22 | Liga II | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 108 | 20 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 28 | |||
| FCSB | 2021–22 | Liga I | 28 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 29 | 7 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 29 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 7 | |||||
| Ümraniyespor (loan) | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 26 | 2 | ||||
| Universitatea Cluj | 2023–24 | Liga I | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 165 | 27 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 186 | 37 | |||
- Appearance in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
Afumați
Astra Giurgiu[13]
- Cupa României runner-up: 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21
- Supercupa României: 2016
References
- "Valentin Gheorghe". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- "Pandurii - Astra 0-0. Derby-ul rundei a doua s-a încheiat nedecis" [Pandurii - Astra 0-0. The derby of the second matchday ended goalless] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 31 July 2016.
- "Astra - FC Oleksandria, 0-0 » Giurgiuvenii remizează, într-un meci în care n-au trimis niciun șut pe spațiul porții adverse" [Astra - FC Oleksandriya, 0-0 » The Giurgiu people draw in a match in which they did not send any shot on the opponent's goal]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 27 July 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- "Raspunsul lui Valentin Gheorghe cand a fost intrebat daca a negociat cu Craiova! Ce a spus dupa infrangerea din finala Cupei" [Valentin Gheorghe's answer when asked if he negotiated with Craiova! What he said after the defeat in the Cup final] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- "Bine ai venit, Valentin Gheorghe!" [Welcome, Valentin Gheorghe!] (in Romanian). FCSB. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- "Ce debut: Valentin Gheorghe, gol superb în derby-ul cu Dinamo! Claudiu Keșeru a pasat decisiv" [What a debut: Valentin Gheorghe, superb goal in the derby with Dinamo! Claudiu Keșerü offered the assist] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- "FOTO EXCLUSIV Vali Gheorghe, oficial la Umranyespor. Durata contractului și prima fotografie la noul club din Turcia" [EXCLUSIVE PHOTO Vali Gheorghe, officially at Ümraniyespor. The length of the contract and the first photo at his club in Turkey] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- "VIDEO Valentin Gheorghe, gol superb în poarta lui Fenerbahce! Trecuseră doar 3 minute de la debut" [VIDEO Valentin Gheorghe, great goal against Fenerbahçe! Only 3 minutes had passed since his debut]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 8 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- "Bun venit, Vali Gheorghe!" [Welcome, Vali Gheorghe!] (in Romanian). FC Universitatea Cluj. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- "Lotul României U23 convocat pentru Jocurile Olimpice de la Tokyo" [Romania U23's squad called up for the Olympic Games in Tokyo]. Romanian Football Federation. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- "Honduras 0–1 Romania". FIFA.com. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- "25 de convocări preliminare pentru debutul preliminariilor EURO 2024" [25 preliminary call-ups for the debut of Euro 2024 qualifiers] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- Valentin Gheorghe at Soccerway. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
External links
- Valentin Gheorghe at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
- Valentin Gheorghe at WorldFootball.net
