Valentin Gheorghe (; born 14 February 1997) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga I club Petrolul PloieÃÂti.
A product of Astra Giurgiu, Gheorghe had a loan spell at AfumaÃÂi before going on to amass over 100 matches in the top flight for his boyhood club. Following Astra's relegation in 2021, he transferred back to the Liga I with FCSB.
Internationally, Gheorghe was capped once for Romania at under-21 level and represented the under-23 team in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Gheorghe spent his formative years in the academy of Astra PloieÃÂti, which in 2012 relocated its first-team squad to the city of Giurgiu. He made his senior debut with the reserves in the lower leagues, and for the 2015âÂÂ16 campaign was loaned out to Liga III side AfumaÃÂi. Upon his return to Astra, he was promoted to the first team and recorded his professional debut at age 19, in a goalless Liga I draw with Pandurii Târgu Jiu on 31 July 2016.
On 27 October 2016, Gheorghe scored his first Astra goal in a 0âÂÂ1 victory over NMM Becicherecu Mic in the Cupa României. He made his European debut on 27 July 2017, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw with Oleksandriya in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. Gheorghe imposed himself as a regular in the 2018âÂÂ19 season, totalling six goals from 31 appearances in all competitions.
The following campaign, Gheorghe netted ten times to become Astra's second-best goalscorer in the league behind Denis Alibec. He was a starter in the 2019 and 2021 Cupa României finals lost 1âÂÂ2 to Viitorul ConstanÃÂa and 2âÂÂ3 to Universitatea Craiova, respectively, with the Ilie OanàStadium in his native PloieÃÂti hosting both. Gheorghe was named man of the match in the latter game, the last of a season which ended in relegation for Astra.
On 3 September 2021, Gheorghe returned to the Liga I by signing a five-year contract with FCSB. Nine days later, he scored on debut in a 6âÂÂ0 derby thrashing of Dinamo BucureÃÂti at the Arena NaÃÂionalÃÂ.
Mostly used a second-half substitute, Gheorghe totalled seven goals from 29 appearances in all competitions during his first year in Bucharest.
Gheorghe agreed to a one-season loan deal with Turkish club ÃÂmraniyespor on 29 June 2022. In the Süper Lig opener against Fenerbahçe on 8 August, he replaced Yonathan Del Valle in the 64th minute and netted a goal for an eventual 3âÂÂ3 draw.
On 31 August 2022, Gheorghe agreed to a deal for an undisclosed period with Liga I side Universitatea Cluj.
In June 2021, Gheorghe was selected by manager Mirel RÃÂdoi in Romania's squad for the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics. He started in the opening 1âÂÂ0 win over Honduras and entered as a substitute in the other two matches of an eventual group-stage exit.
On 3 March 2023, Gheorghe received a preliminary call-up to the Romania senior team for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification matches against Andorra and Belarus, but did not make the final list.
AfumaÃÂi
Astra Giurgiu
FCSB