Alex Pașcanu Explained

Alexandru Pașcanu
Full Name:Alexandru Ștefan Pașcanu
Birth Date:28 September 1998
Birth Place:Bârlad, Romania
Height:1.85 m
Position:Centre-back
Currentclub:Rapid București
Clubnumber:5
Youthyears1:2007–2019
Youthclubs1:Leicester City
Years1:2019–2022
Clubs1:CFR Cluj
Caps1:4
Goals1:0
Years2:2020
Clubs2:Voluntari (loan)
Caps2:19
Goals2:1
Years3:2020–2022
Clubs3:Ponferradina (loan)
Caps3:53
Goals3:1
Years4:2022–2024
Clubs4:Ponferradina
Caps4:52
Goals4:4
Years5:2023–2024
Clubs5:Sporting Gijón (loan)
Caps5:26
Goals5:1
Years6:2024–
Clubs6:Rapid București
Caps6:2
Goals6:0
Nationalyears1:2016
Nationalteam1:Romania U18
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2016–2017
Nationalteam2:Romania U19
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2017–2021
Nationalteam3:Romania U21
Nationalcaps3:29
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:2021
Nationalteam4:Romania Olympic
Nationalcaps4:5
Nationalgoals4:0
Club-Update:10 August 2024
Nationalteam-Update:25 July 2021

Alexandru Ștefan Pașcanu (born 28 September 1998) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga 1 club Rapid București.

Early life

Pașcanu grew up in Bogdănești, Vaslui County, before moving to England with his family where he spent the rest of his childhood and teenage years.[1]

Club career

Pașcanu began his football career in the academy of Leicester City, playing alongside the likes of Ben Chilwell, Harvey Barnes and Hamza Choudhury. He was however unable to follow them into the first-team squad, and on 30 August 2019 returned to Romania to sign with reigning champions CFR Cluj for an undisclosed fee.[2]

Pașcanu only amassed five appearances for "the White-Burgundies", before joining fellow Liga I side Voluntari in January 2020 on a loan deal until the end of the season.[3] On 28 August 2020, he was sent out on a two-year loan to Spanish Segunda División side Ponferradina.[4]

On 17 January 2022, Ponferradina announced it had reached an agreement with his parent club for the permanent transfer of Pașcanu.[5] On 12 August 2023, after Ponfes relegation, he was loaned to Sporting de Gijón also in the second division, for one year.[6]

International career

Pașcanu started in all but one of Romania under-21's ten qualifying matches for the 2019 European Championship as the nation won its group undefeated. His performances led to a first call-up to the senior team, on 11 November 2018.[7] In the final stage of the under-21 tournament hosted by Italy and San Marino, Pașcanu aided his side in reaching the semi-finals and thus qualified the country to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

His age also made him eligible for the 2021 edition of the European Championship, where he played in all three group stage matches. Pașcanu scored the winner in a 2–1 defeat of Hungary and surpassed Ionuț Luțu to become the most capped player at under-21 level. In July that year, he went on to participate with Romania in the postponed Summer Olympics.[8]

Career statistics

Club

Club! rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
CFR Cluj2019–20Liga I40100050
Voluntari (loan)2019–20Liga I19100191
Ponferradina (loan)2020–21Segunda División33110341
2021–2236210372
Total69320713
Ponferradina2022–23Segunda División36200362
Sporting Gijón (loan)2023–24Segunda División26100261
Rapid București2024–25Liga I200020
Career total15673000001597

Honours

CFR Cluj

2019–20

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cu Vardy în echipă! Ascensiunea fulminantă a lui Alex Pașcanu, luat de Ranieri la antrenamentele seniorilor campioanei Angliei. Gazeta Sporturilor. 11 January 2017. Romanian.
  2. Web site: Youngster Pascanu joins CFR Cluj. Leicester City F.C.. 30 August 2019.
  3. Web site: BUN VENIT, ALEX PAȘCANU!. 17 January 2020. 17 January 2020. Voluntari. Romanian.
  4. Web site: Alexandru Pascanu, nuevo jugador de la SD Ponferradina. Alexandru Pascanu, new player of SD Ponferradina. SD Ponferradina. es. 28 August 2020. 2 September 2020.
  5. Web site: Acuerdo para la adquisición de los derechos de Pascanu. Agreement for the acquisition of Pascanu's rights. SD Ponferradina. es. 17 January 2022. 21 January 2022.
  6. Web site: Acuerdo para la cesión de Alexandru Pascanu al Real Sporting. Agreement for the loan of Alexandru Pascanu to Real Sporting. SD Ponferradina. es. 12 August 2023. 12 August 2023.
  7. Web site: Lotul României pentru partidele cu Lituania și Muntenegru. Romania's squad for the fixtures against Lithuania and Montenegro. Romanian Football Federation. 11 November 2018. Romanian.
  8. Web site: Lotul României U23 convocat pentru Jocurile Olimpice de la Tokyo. Romania U23's squad called up for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Romanian Football Federation. 29 June 2021. 12 September 2021.
  9. Web site: Un roman, jucatorul ANULUI la Leicester! Urias: Alex Pascanu, cel mai bun fotbalist al academiei fostei campioane a Angliei. Pro X. 16 May 2017. Romanian.