Alexandru Chipciu

Alexandru "Alex" Mihăiță Chipciu (born 18 May 1989) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays for Belgian side Anderlecht and the Romania national team mainly as a winger or an attacking midfielder. He can also be deployed as a false 9.

After starting his senior career with FC Brașov, Chipciu moved to Steaua București during the winter of 2011. In the five seasons spent with the capital-based club he won seven domestic trophies and took part in multiple UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League editions. In 2016, he transferred abroad to join Belgian club Anderlecht.

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, at the age of 13, with the youth squad of Dacia Unirea Brăila from his hometown. 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 4 goals in his first year with FC Brașov. However, after the team's pretentions grew, aspiring the promotion to the first division, he got less play 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 (4–1 win, at Stadionul Steaua). 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 May 10, 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 the player signed a 4-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.

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

Honours

Club

• Liga II: 2007–08

• Liga I: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
• Cupa României: 2014–15
• Supercupa României: 2013
• Cupa Ligii: 2014–15, 2015–16

• Belgian Pro League: 2016–17