Vlad Chiricheș

Vlad Chiricheș

Chiricheș lining up for Romania in 2014
Personal information
Full name Vlad Iulian Chiricheș[1]
Date of birth (1989-11-14) 14 November 1989
Place of birth Bacău, Romania
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Napoli
Number 21
Youth career
LPS Bacău
2004–2007 Ardealul Cluj
2007–2008 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Internațional 41 (1)
2010–2012 Pandurii Târgu Jiu 39 (0)
2012–2013 Steaua București 42 (3)
2013–2015 Tottenham Hotspur 27 (1)
2015– Napoli 12 (2)
National team‡
2009–2010 Romania U21 3 (0)
2011– Romania 44 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 October 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 November 2016

Vlad Iulian Chiricheș (Romanian pronunciation: [vlad ˈkirikeʃ]; born 14 November 1989) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Italian club Napoli and for the Romanian national team, which he captains.

Club career

Early career

Chiricheș began his career at LPS Bacău as a midfielder, even as a striker a few years later when he moved to Ardealul Cluj playing alongside Mihai Răduț and Alexandru Maxim.[3] He then moved to Portuguese side Benfica in 2007.[4][5][6]

Internațional and Pandurii

Upon his return to Romania after 12 months spent in Portugal, Chiricheș joined lower league club Internațional Curtea de Argeș and helped them earn promotion to the top flight Liga I in 2009.[7] In 2010, shortly after Internațional was dissolved, he moved alongside many of his teammates to Pandurii Târgu Jiu.[8] Chiricheș was close to signing with Steaua București instead of Pandurii, but Victor Pițurcă, Steaua's coach at the time, did not agree with the transfer.[9]

Steaua Bucharest

After one season, Chiricheș sealed another transfer, this time to Steaua București for a reported sum of €700,000 and 25% left to Pandurii in case of a future transfer.[10] On 6 August 2013, Steaua paid another €500,000 for the 25% left of the co-ownership, making the total transfer sum to €1.2 million.[11] On 25 October 2012, he scored an overhead volley from near the penalty spot in a 2–0 win against Molde in the Europa League, which put Steaua in control of Group E.[12] Chiricheș scored from long range against Ajax on 21 February 2013, canceling out a two-goal first-leg deficit as Steaua triumphed in the penalty shoot-out to set up a Round of 16 meeting with 2012 Champions League winners, Chelsea.[13][14] He scored again, an equalising goal to make it 1–1 with a fine close-range finish on the stroke of half-time in the 3–1 second leg loss against The Blues at Stamford Bridge after Steaua won the first leg 1–0.[15]

Tottenham Hotspur

Steaua agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur for the transfer of Chiricheș on 24 August 2013, for a club-record fee of €9.5 million.[16][17] The transfer was completed on 30 August. On 24 September, Chiricheș made his debut for Tottenham Hotspur in a 4–0 victory over Aston Villa in the League Cup.[18] His debut for Tottenham in the Premier League was also an away game against Aston Villa on 20 October, a 2–0 win in which he was voted Man of the Match by Spurs fans.[19] Against Fulham on 4 December, he scored his first goal for Tottenham, an equaliser from outside the penalty box in a 2–1 victory.[20]

At the end of the January 2015 transfer window A.S. Roma offered €500,000 to take Chiricheș on a six-month loan, which was deemed too low by Spurs and rejected.[21] On 9 May, he was sent off for two bookings as Tottenham lost 3–0 to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.[22]

Napoli

On 30 July 2015, Italian club Napoli signed Chiricheș on a four-year deal for a reported £4.5 million.[23][24] Chiricheș made his Serie A debut for Napoli in a 1–2 loss to Sassuolo.

International career

Chiricheș in action for Romania against Austria in 2012

Chiriches made his debut for the senior team in an UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Luxembourg on 2 September 2011.[25] On 14 August 2013, Chiricheș became the captain of Romania, in the friendly draw 1–1 over Slovakia. His competitive debut as captain was on 6 September, a 3–0 victory against Hungary, in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game.

Table of international appearances up to October 2015. Appearances as captain highlighted in green:

Career statistics

Club

As of 10 April 2016[26]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Internațional 2008–09 26110---271
2009–10 15010---160
Total 41120------431
Pandurii Târgu Jiu 2010–11 24000---240
2011–12 15020---170
Total 39020------410
Steaua București 2011–12 14020-20-180
2012–13 26100-133-394
2013–14 20--301060
Total 42120--18310634
Tottenham Hotspur 2013–14 171103030-241
2014–15 80311050-171
Total 251414080--412
Napoli 2015–16 7120-71-162
2016–17 51--10-51
Total 122200081--223
Career total 157 5 12 1 4 0 36 4 1 0 208 10

References

  1. ↑ "Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists" (PDF). Premier League. 4 February 2014. p. 36. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  2. ↑ http://www.sscnapoli.it/Squadra/Vlad-Iulian-Chiriches
  3. ↑ "Chiricheş, Maxim, Răduţ. Ce mai scoate Şcoala Ardealul" (in Romanian). Prosport. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Sky Sports Scout – Vlad Chiriches". Sky Sports. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Un fost jucător de la Benfica a dezvăluit de ce n-a fost păstrat Vlad Chiricheş" (in Romanian). Prosport. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "I-a dus pe Chiricheş la Benfica şi pe Răduţ la Sporting! Omul care l-a descoperit pe Grozav pe când era minor aduce un nou nume în prim plan: "E foarte talentat"" (in Romanian). Prosport. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Nou promovata lui Ştefan Stoica a pornit la drum în Liga 1: FC Internaţional a început pregătirile". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 22 June 2009.
  8. ↑ "Ionuţ Badea a ales 15 jucători de la Inter pentru lotul Pandurilor". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 21 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "Povestea celui mai scump transfer din liga 1". Gazeta Sporturilor. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Chiricheş a semnat cu Steaua, dar vine la iarnă". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 3 August 2011.
  11. ↑ "Steaua pays 1.2 million euros for Chiriches". Gazeta Sporturilor. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Chiricheş stunner helps Steaua sink Molde". UEFA.com. UEFA. 25 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "Latovlevici shines as Steaua beat Ajax on penalties". UEFA. 21 February 2013.
  14. ↑ "Blues edge through, Ajax outed on penalties". FIFA.com. FIFA. 21 February 2013.
  15. ↑ "Torres on target as Chelsea sneak past Steaua". UEFA. 14 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "Tottenham agree price for Chiriches". FIFA.com. FIFA. 25 August 2013.
  17. ↑ "Spurs announce Vlad Chiriches signing". ESPN FC. ESPN. 30 August 2013.
  18. ↑ "Chiriches transfer agreed". TottenhamHotspur.com. Tottenham Hotspur FC. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  19. ↑ "Chiriches voted Man of the Match". @SpursOfficial. Twitter. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  20. ↑ Cryer, Andy. "Fulham 1–2 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  21. ↑ "TOTTENHAM REJECT ROMA LOAN OFFER FOR CHIRICHES (AND HANDS HIM BONUS)". tribalfootball.com. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  22. ↑ Johnston, Neil (9 May 2015). "Stoke 3-0 Tottenham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  23. ↑ "Tottenham Hotspur Official Announcement Regarding Vlad Chiriches". Spurs Official Twitter. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  24. ↑ "Tottenham confirm Vlad Chiriches exit as defender agrees £4.5m switch to Napoli". Mail Online. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  25. ↑ "Torje double keeps Romania in touch". UEFA.com. 2 September 2011.
  26. ↑ "Vlad Chiriches". TottenhamHotspur.com. Tottenham Hotspur FC. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vlad Chiricheș.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Răzvan Raț		 Romania captain
2013– 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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