Vlad Chiricheș

Vlad Chiricheș

Chiricheș with Romania in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Vlad Iulian Chiricheș
Date of birth	(1989-11-14) 14 November 1989 (age 27)
Place of birth	Bacău, Romania
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Defender
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	20	(3)
National team‡
2009–2010	Romania U21	3	(0)
2011–	Romania	45	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 March 2017. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 March 2017

Vlad Iulian Chiricheș (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈvlad ˈkirikeʃ]; born 14 November 1989) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays for Italian club Napoli and the Romania national team. Primarily a central defender, he can also play as a right back.

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. He then moved to Portuguese side Benfica in 2007.

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. In 2010, shortly after Internațional was dissolved, he moved alongside many of his teammates to Pandurii Târgu Jiu. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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.