Alexandru Chipciu


Alexandru Mihăiță Chipciu is a Romanian professional footballer who plays for Liga I club CFR Cluj and the Romania national team. A versatile player, he is mainly deployed as a winger or an attacking midfielder, but has also been used as a false 9 or a wing-back on occasion.
After starting his senior career with FC Brașov, Chipciu moved to FC Steaua București in the winter of 2011 and won seven domestic trophies during his spell in the capital. In 2016, he transferred abroad for the first time to join Anderlecht. He helped to a national title in his first season in Belgium, but he later fell out of favor and sent on loan to Sparta Prague. At the start of 2020, Chipciu returned to his native country with defending champions CFR Cluj.
Chipciu is a Romanian international and has played for the country's under-17 and under-19 teams before making his senior debut in 2011. He was a member of the squad that participated at the UEFA Euro 2016.

Club career

Early years

Chipciu started his football career in 2001, aged 13, with the youth squad of hometown club Dacia Unirea Brăila. From 2004 to 2006, before joining FC Brașov, he played for Sporting Pitești.

FC Brașov

At the age of 18, Chipciu made the senior squad breakthrough, scoring four goals in his first year with FC Brașov. However, as the team's aspirations grew, aiming promotion to the first division, he received less playing time.
For the first half of the 2008–09 season he was loaned out to Liga II side Forex Brașov, and in the second half of the season he went to his former youth club Brăila in Liga III to gain experience.
Upon his return to FC Brașov, now in the Liga I, Chipciu again got few opportunities to play in the first year. During the 2010–11 season he had appreciated performances, being one of the best players of the team and attracting the attention of Bucharest rivals Steaua and Dinamo. He eventually chose to stay at Brașov, signing a new contract that would have kept him at the club until 2015. Chipciu had a great 2011–12 season start, scoring two important goals in the first three games.

Steaua București

On 21 December 2011, Steaua București announced that they had reached an agreement for the transfer of Chipciu, with the player penning a five-year contract. The press reported that FC Brașov would receive an initial €1.2 million and 25% from a future transfer sum. On 31 March 2012, Chipciu netted his first goal for the club in a 1–1 away draw at Pandurii Târgu Jiu, and his second came just one week later against Sportul Studențesc after an impressive build-up play. On 7 May, he was sent off after receiving a red card in a match against Concordia Chiajna.
In the autumn of 2012, Chipciu helped Steaua qualify from the UEFA Europa League group stage, where they played against the likes of VfB Stuttgart, Molde and Copenhagen. Furthermore, Steaua defeated Ajax on penalty shoot-outs, before losing in the round of 16 with Chelsea 3–2 on aggregate. On 10 May 2013, in one of the last remaining matches of the season, Chipciu suffered an injury against rivals from Dinamo București and he was subsequently sidelined for 5 months with a fractured tibia. Two weeks later he received a winner's medal after Steaua's 2012–13 Liga I conquest, being his first major honour. Six trophies went to follow in the next three years: two more League Championships, one Romanian Cup, one Romanian Supercup and two League Cups.

Anderlecht

On 18 July 2016, Chipciu traveled to Belgium to undergo a medical at Anderlecht. The following day it was officially announced that he signed a four-year contract with the club. Anderlecht paid €3 million for his services, with bonus clauses potentially rising the transfer fee to €3.5 million. On 7 August, Chipciu scored his first goal for the club in a Belgian Pro League match against Kortrijk.

Sparta Prague

On 3 July 2018, Chipciu moved to Czech club Sparta Prague on a one-season loan.

CFR Cluj

On 18 January 2020, CFR Cluj announced the signing of Chipciu as a free agent.

International career

On 29 March 2006, Chipciu made his debut for Romania U17 in a match with Serbia. He also represented the country at under-19 level.
Chipciu gained his first cap for the full side in 2011, playing as a starter against San Marino. On 15 November, he scored his first senior international goal in a friendly match in Austria with Greece. On 17 May 2016, Chipciu was picked by manager Anghel Iordănescu for his preliminary 28-man UEFA Euro 2016 squad and eventually made it to the final list.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
115 November 2011Stadion Schnabelholz, Altach, Austria23–13–1Friendly
222 March 2013Ferenc Puskás, Budapest, Hungary72–22–22014 FIFA World Cup qualification
34 June 2014Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland111–11–2Friendly
48 October 2016Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan, Armenia245–05–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
511 October 2018LFF Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania391–02–12018–19 UEFA Nations League C
610 June 2019National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta453–04–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

Club

FC Brașov
Steaua București
Anderlecht