| Cătălin Vulturar | |
| Birth Date: | 9 March 2004 |
| Birth Place: | Arad, Romania |
| Height: | 1.81 m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Rapid București |
| Clubnumber: | 18 |
| Youthyears1: | –2019 |
| Youthclubs1: | UTA Arad |
| Youthyears2: | 2020–2024 |
| Youthclubs2: | Lecce |
| Years1: | 2018–2020 |
| Clubs1: | UTA Arad |
| Caps1: | 3 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs2: | Lecce |
| Caps2: | 0 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2024– |
| Clubs3: | Rapid București |
| Caps3: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2024 |
| Clubs4: | → UTA Arad (loan) |
| Caps4: | 9 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2016 |
| Nationalteam1: | Romania U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2021 |
| Nationalteam2: | Romania U18 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2022–2023 |
| Nationalteam3: | Romania U19 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2023– |
| Nationalteam4: | Romania U21 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 1 |
| Club-Update: | 12 May 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 26 March 2024 |
| Full Name: | Cătălin Alin Vulturar |
Cătălin Alin Vulturar (born 9 March 2004) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga I club Rapid București.
Born in Arad, Romania, Vulturar started his career with UTA Arad, making his first team debut at the age of fourteen.[1] After rejecting an offer from FCSB, and trialling with Barcelona and Liverpool, he signed for Italian side Lecce in 2020.[2] In completing the transfer, he became the most expensive sale in UTA Arad history.[3] [4]
In October 2021, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2004 worldwide.[5] He has since been named captain of Lecce's under-19 side.[6]
On 1 February 2024, Lecce announced Vulturar's transfer to Rapid București.[7] Lecce reserved 40% of the sell-on fee and an option to match a purchase offer. Three weeks later, in order to gain playing minutes and adapt to Romanian football, he was sent on loan to UTA Arad until the summer, due to a huge number of midfielders in the team squad.[8]
Vulturar has represented Romania at under-18 and under-19 level.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| UTA Arad | 2018–19 | Liga II | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| Rapid București | 2023–24 | Liga I | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| UTA Arad (loan) | 2023–24 | Liga I | 9 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
UTA Arad
Lecce