Valentin Ionuț Costache (Romanian pronunciation: [valenˈtin joˈnut͡s kosˈtake]; born 2 August 1998) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger or as an attacking midfielder for Cypriot First Division club Apollon Limassol.
 Costache with Rapid București in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Valentin Ionuț Costache | ||
| Date of birth | 2 August 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Videle, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Apollon Limassol | ||
| Number | 29 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2014 | CSȘ Videle | ||
| 2014–2015 | Dinamo București | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | Dinamo București | 18 | (4) |
| 2016–2017 | → Afumați (loan) | 22 | (6) |
| 2018–2022 | CFR Cluj | 121 | (12) |
| 2022–2023 | Rapid București | 27 | (0) |
| 2023– | Apollon Limassol | 28 | (3) |
| International career | |||
| 2014–2015 | Romania U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2017–2021 | Romania U21 | 8 | (3) |
| 2021 | Romania Olympic | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 May 2024 | |||
Club career
Dinamo București
Costache joined the youth setup of Dinamo București from hometown club CSȘ Videle in 2014.[1] On 20 December the following year, he made his senior debut by coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Bogdan Gavrilă in a 1–1 Liga I draw against CFR Cluj.[2] On 14 February 2016, he netted the only goal of a match against Botoșani in the same competition.[3]
Costache was loaned out to second division side Afumați for the 2016–17 campaign, where he managed to score six goals from 23 games all competitions comprised. On 30 July 2017, he scored his first Dinamo goal upon his return to Bucharest in a 1–0 away victory over Liga I defending champions Viitorul Constanța.[4]
CFR Cluj
During early November 2017, it was reported that Costache would be joining CFR Cluj in the approaching transfer window for a fee of €1 million.[5] He was formally unveiled at his new team on 8 January 2018.[6]
Over the course of four and a half seasons in Cluj-Napoca, Costache amassed totals of 145 games and 15 goals in all competitions, and also aided to seven domestic honours.
Rapid București
On 16 June 2022, Costache was transferred to fellow Liga I team Rapid București.[7]
Apollon Limassol
On 22 August 2023, Costache signed for Cypriot First Division club Apollon Limassol on a two-year deal with the option for a further year.[8]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 12 May 2024[9]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Dinamo București | 2015–16 | Liga I | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | Liga I | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | ||||
| Afumați (loan) | 2016–17 | Liga II | 22 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 6 | ||||
| CFR Cluj | 2017–18 | Liga I | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2018–19 | Liga I | 18 | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 4 | |||
| 2019–20 | Liga I | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 4 | |||
| 2020–21 | Liga I | 35 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2021–22 | Liga I | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 3 | |||
| Total | 121 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 145 | 15 | |||
| Rapid București | 2022–23 | Liga I | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Liga I | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | |||||
| Apollon Limassol | 2023–24 | Cypriot First Division | 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 30 | 3 | ||||
| Career total | 216 | 25 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 246 | 28 | |||
Honours
Dinamo București
- Cupa României runner-up: 2015–16
CFR Cluj[9]
References
External links
- Valentin Costache at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
- Valentin Costache – UEFA competition record (archive)