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Dragoș Nedelcu
Personal information
Full name	Dragoș Ionuț Nedelcu
Date of birth	16 February 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Constanța, Romania
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team	Farul Constanța
Number	14
Youth career
2009–2014	Gheorghe Hagi Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team
2014–2017	Viitorul Constanța
2017–2022	FCSB
2021	FCSB II
2021–2022	→ Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)
2022	→ Farul Constanța (loan)
2022–	Farul Constanța
International career‡
2013–2014	Romania U17
2016	Romania U19
2014–2019	Romania U21
2021	Romania Olympic
2016–	Romania
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2021

Dragoș Ionuț Nedelcu (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈdraɡoʃ joˈnut͡s neˈdelku]; born 16 February 1997) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back for Liga I club Farul Constanța.

Nedelcu started his senior career at Viitorul Constanța, for which he made his debut at age 17. He aided the side in winning its first national championship in the 2016–17 season, before being transferred to fellow league team FCSB.

Internationally, Nedelcu earned his first cap for Romania in November 2016, in a 0–1 loss to Russia. He represented the under-21 team at the 2019 UEFA European Championship, where they managed to progress to the semi-finals as group winners.

Club career

Viitorul Constanța

Nedelcu made his professional debut for Viitorul Constanța on 18 July 2014, in a 3–3 draw with Botoșani counting for the season's Cupa Ligii; Viitorul went further after a 5–3 penalty shoot-out win. His first appearance in the Liga I came ten days later, in a goalless draw at CSM Studențesc Iași.^[1]

FCSB

On 10 August 2017, Nedelcu signed a five-year contract with FCSB,^[2]^[3] one month after having initially refused to do so by arguing that he dreams of playing abroad.^[4] Him and his Viitorul teammate Romario Benzar were acquired by the Bucharest-based club for a combined cost of €2.7 million,^[5] and an additional €500,000 fee was paid for Nedelcu in November to remove an interest clause in his deal.^[6]

Nedelcu made his debut for the Roș-albaștrii in a 1–1 league draw with Astra Giurgiu on 12 August 2017.^[7] On 5 November that year, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 victory over Concordia Chiajna.^[8]

Loans to Fortuna Düsseldorf and Farul Constanța

Nedelcu often struggled with injuries during his stint in the capital, and on 12 June 2021 was sent out on a one-year loan with a purchase option to 2. Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf.^[9] On 4 February 2022, after his loan at Fortuna was cancelled prematurely, he moved to his boyhood club Viitorul—now renamed Farul Constanța—on loan for the remainder of the campaign.^[10]

Farul Constanța

On 14 June 2022, Nedelcu moved to Farul Constanța on a permanent basis after signing a three-year contract.^[11]

International career

In November 2016, Nedelcu received his first call-up to the Romania senior team for the matches against Poland and Russia.^[12] He made his debut by coming on for Bogdan Stancu in the 0–1 friendly loss against the latter country.^[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 October 2024^[14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League		National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Viitorul Constanța	2014–15	15	0	1	1	2	0	—		—		18	1
	2015–16	22	1	0	0	1	0	—		—		23	1
	2016–17	28	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	—		30	1
	2017–18	4	0	—		—		2	0	1	0	7	0
	Total	69	2	1	1	3	0	4	0	1	0	78	3
FCSB	2017–18	18	1	2	0	—		6	0	—		26	1
	2018–19	26	0	1	0	—		2	0	—		29	0
	2019–20	11	1	1	0	—		3	0	—		15	1
	2020–21	7	0	1	0	—		0	0	1	0	9	0
	Total	62	2	5	0	—	—	11	0	1	0	79	2
FCSB II	2020–21	1	0	—		—		—		—		1	0
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	2021–22	10	0	1	0	—		—		—		11	0
Farul Constanța (loan)	2021–22	15	2	—		—		—		—		15	2
Farul Constanța	2022–23	29	1	1	0	—		—		—		30	1
	2023–24	24	0	0	0	—		8	1	1	0	33	1
	2024–25	10	0	0	0	—		—		—		10	0
	Total	78	3	1	0	—		8	1	1	0	88	4
Career total		220	7	8	1	3	0	23	1	3	0	257	9

International

As of match played 14 November 2021^[15]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps
Romania	2016	1
	2018	1
	2021	4
Total		6

Honours

Viitorul Constanța^[14]

Liga I: 2016–17
Supercupa României runner-up: 2017

FCSB^[14]

Cupa României: 2019–20
Supercupa României runner-up: 2020

Farul Constanța^[14]

Liga I: 2022–23
Supercupa României runner-up: 2023

References

^ "Hagi îl dă pe Nedelcu la AS Roma pentru un milion de euro. "Vede excelent jocul, are pasă, execuţie şi lovitură de cap. E printre cei 4-5 cu perspectivă la naţionala de seniori." Rămâne un singur mare semn de întrebare" [Hagi sells Nedelcu to AS Roma for 1 million euros. "He sees the game very well, has a good pass, shot and header. He is one of the 4 or 5 with senior national team perspectives." One question still remains] (in Romanian). ProSport. 1 August 2015.
^ "Bine ati venit, Dragos Nedelcu si Romario Benzar!" [Welcome, Dragoș Nedelcu and Romario Benzar!] (in Romanian). FC Steaua București. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
^ "Clauze impresionante puse lui Nedelcu și Benzar" [Impressive clauses for Nedelcu and Benzar]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 9 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
^ ""Mulţumesc Stelei pentru interes!" Nedelcu a explicat de ce a refuzat oferta lui Becali: motivul invocat de tânărul fotbalist al lui Hagi" ["I thank Steaua for the interest!" Nedelcu explained why he refused Becali's offer: the reason invoked by Hagi's young footballer] (in Romanian). ProSport. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
^ "Becali a dezvăluit suma de transfer pentru Nedelcu și Benzar" [Becali revealed the transfer fee for Nedelcu and Benzar] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
^ "Becali și Miriuță, dialog în direct despre transferul lui Nemec! Ironia patronului de la FCSB la adresa marii rivale + anunță un nou transfer" [Becali and Miriuță, discussion about Nemec's transfer! FCSB's owner irony for the great rival + he announced a new transfer]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 16 November 2017.
^ "FCSB - Astra 1–1" (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
^ "Primul gol al lui Nedelcu la FCSB, o "bijuterie"! Execuţie de la 25 de metri" [Nedelcu's first goal at FCSB, a "jem"! 25-meter strike] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 5 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
^ "Dragoș Nedelcu a fost prezentat la noua echipă » Obiectiv important: "Vreau să promovez!"" [Dragoș Nedelcu was presented at his new team » Important objective: "I want us to get promoted!"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
^ "Bine ai (re)venit, Dragoș Nedelcu !" [Welcome back (again) Dragoș Nedelcu!] (in Romanian). FCV Farul Constanța. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "OFICIAL Farul a luat definitiv un jucător de la FCSB: "Mult succes în tricoul alb-albastru!"" [OFFICIAL Farul permanently brought a FCSB player: "Good luck in the white-blue shirt!"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 14 June 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
^ "Keșeru, convocat pentru meciul cu Polonia" ["Keșeru called-up for the match against Poland]. Romanian Football Federation. 4 November 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ "Ultimul meci al tricolorilor din acest an, Rusia - România 1-0" [The last match of tricolour this year, Russia - Romania 1-0]. frf.ro (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Dragoș Nedelcu at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
^ "Dragoș Nedelcu". European Football. Retrieved 20 August 2017.