Tudor Băluță

Tudor Cristian Băluță (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈtudor kristiˈan bəˈlut͡sə]; born 27 March 1999) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back for Liga I club Farul Constanța and the Romania national team.

Tudor Băluță
Băluță with Romania in 2019
Personal information
Full name Tudor Cristian Băluță
Date of birth (1999-03-27) 27 March 1999
Place of birth Craiova, Romania
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Farul Constanța
Number 6
Youth career
2007–2013 Școala de Fotbal Gheorghe Popescu
2013–2015 Gheorghe Hagi Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 Viitorul Constanța 42 (2)
2019–2022 Brighton & Hove Albion 0 (0)
2019 → Viitorul Constanța (loan) 11 (0)
2020 → ADO Den Haag (loan) 4 (0)
2020–2021 → Dynamo Kyiv (loan) 1 (0)
2022– Farul Constanța 42 (7)
International career‡
2017–2018 Romania U19 6 (3)
2019–2020 Romania U21 8 (2)
2021 Romania Olympic 2 (0)
2018– Romania 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 June 2023

Club career

Viitorul Constanța

Băluță began his career in native Craiova, joining the Gheorghe Popescu Football School at age 8. Six years later, he moved to Viitorul Constanța's academy.[1] Băluță made his professional debut in the Liga I on 2 May 2016, aged 17, replacing Ianis Hagi in the 54th minute of a 6–1 thrashing of ASA Târgu Mureș.[2][3]

Băluță playing against Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Europa League, 24 August 2017.

He did not feature in any senior games in the next season as Viitorul won the first league title in its history, but started appearing frequently for the side since the summer of 2017. On 24 August that year, Băluță recorded his European debut in a UEFA Europa League play-off round 0–4 loss to Red Bull Salzburg.[4] On 30 August 2018, he scored his first goal—and the only of the match—in a league win over Astra Giurgiu.[5]

Brighton & Hove Albion

Băluță agreed to a three-and-a-half-year contract with English club Brighton & Hove Albion on 31 January 2019.[6] Băluță was immediately loaned back to Viitorul Constanța for the remainder of the campaign.[6] Press reported the transfer fee at €3 million, which made him the club's most expensive sale at the time, tied with Florinel Coman.[7]

On 25 May, he was a starter and played the full match in the Cupa României final 2–1 success against Astra Giurgiu.[8]

Returning to Brighton during pre-season following the expiration of his loan, Băluță made the bench for the first time for "the Seagulls" in a 2–1 away win over Bristol Rovers in the EFL Cup on 27 August 2019 and was named on the bench in a Premier League fixture for the first time in a 1–1 home draw against Burnley on 14 September. He remained an unused substitute in both fixtures.[9][10] Băluță made his debut for the Sussex club in the EFL Cup playing the whole match in the 3–1 home defeat to Aston Villa on 25 September.[11]

Loan to ADO Den Haag

On 17 January 2020 it was confirmed that Băluță had joined ADO Den Haag on loan until the end of the season.[12] He made his debut for the Eredivisie side a week later playing the full match in a 4–0 away loss at FC Utrecht.[13] Băluță made 4 appearances for The Hague based side with his time at the club cut short due to the Dutch FA taking the decision to cancel the season due to COVID-19.[14]

Loan to Dynamo Kyiv

On 4 October 2020 the loan of Băluță to Dynamo Kyiv was confirmed by the president of the club Ihor Surkis in his interview.[15] He made his debut for Kiev in what was also his first Champions League appearance coming on as a substitute in a 2–2 away draw against Hungarian side Ferencváros on 28 October.[16] Băluță made his Ukrainian Premier League debut coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 away victory against Inhulets on 21 November.[17]

Farul Constanța

On 12 July 2022, Băluță signed a two-year contract with Liga I team Farul Constanța.[18]

International career

Băluță earned his first senior cap for Romania on 31 May 2018, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute for his former Viitorul Constanța teammate Dragoș Nedelcu in a 3–2 friendly victory over Chile.[19]

Despite not playing in the qualifiers, Băluță was selected in Romania's squad for the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Italy. Băluță scored on debut against Croatia on 19 June, which ended in a 4–1 win for his side.[20] He recorded three more games as Tricolorii mici were eliminated by Germany in the semi-finals, following a 2–4 defeat.[21]

Style of play

Băluță is primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder, but started out as a centre-back.[3] He has been likened to former Romanian international and Barcelona captain Gheorghe Popescu, also a native of Dolj County, who in his turn described Băluță as an "intelligent player" with "exceptional qualities".[1]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 21 October 2023[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Viitorul Constanța 2015–16 Liga I 2000—0020
2017–18 Liga I 240101[lower-alpha 1]0—260
2018–19 Liga I 272304[lower-alpha 1]0—342
Total 5324050—622
Brighton & Hove Albion 2019–20 Premier League 0000—1[lower-alpha 2]010
ADO den Haag (loan) 2019–20 Eredivisie 4000——40
Dynamo Kyiv (loan) 2020–21 Ukrainian Premier League 10002[lower-alpha 3]0—30
Farul Constanța 2022–23 Liga I 32600——326
2023–24 Liga I 101008100182
Total 427008100508
Career Total 1009401511012010
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in EFL Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International
Băluță (left) in a match against Sweden in March 2019.
As of match played 16 June 2023[23]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Romania 201830
201940
202000
202100
202220
202330
Total120

Honours

Viitorul Constanța[22]

Dynamo Kyiv[22]

Farul Constanța[22]

  • Liga I: 2022–23
  • Supercupa României runner-up: 2023

Individual

References
  1. ""Determinare incredibila, baiat destept, fotbalist complet!" Gica Popescu, cuvinte uriase pentru Tudor Baluta" ["Incredible determination, a smart boy, complete footballer!" Gică Popescu, giant words for Tudor Băluță] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  2. "Viitorul - Târgu Mureș 6-1. Echipa lui Gică Hagi a obținut prima victorie in play-off" [Viitorul - Târgu Mureș 6–1. Gică Hagi's team obtained its first victory in the championship play-offs] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  3. "Hagi anunță un nume de Viitor: Tudor Băluță!" [Hagi announces a name for the future: Tudor Băluță!] (in Romanian). Reporter NTV. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  4. "Salzburg 4–0 Viitorul". UEFA. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  5. "Viitorul - Astra 1-0. Băluţă a marcat golul victoriei în prelungiri! Hagi a fost trimis în tribune după ce s-a contrat cu staff-ul advers, giurgiuvenii au evoluat mai bine de o repriză în 10 oameni" [Viitorul - Astra 1–0. Băluță scored the winner in the injury-time! Hagi was sent out after a conflict with the opposing staff, the Giurgiu men played more than half of the game with 10 footballers] (in Romanian). ProSport. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  6. "ALBION SIGN ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  7. "Tudor Baluta a semnat! Gica Hagi si-a egalat recordul! Ce salariu va avea mijlocasul, în Premier League" [Tudor Băluță has signed! Gică Hagi equaled his record! What salary the midfielder will have in the Premier League] (in Romanian). BZI. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2019. Thus, Hagi equaled his record for the most expensive transfer in the history of the club. For Florinel Coman, Gigi Becali had also paid a total of 3 million euros.
  8. "Viitorul lui Hagi castiga Cupa Romaniei dupa o finala complicata cu Astra" [Hagi's Viitorul wins the Romanian Cup after a difficult final with Astra] (in Romanian). Ziare. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  9. "Bristol Rovers v Brighton & Hove Albion - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. "Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Burnley: Jeff Hendrick scores in stoppage time to earn visitors a point - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  11. "Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 Aston Villa: Conor Hourihane scores win - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  12. "Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder completes loan deal to Alan Pardew's ADO Den Haag". Sussex Express. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  13. "Vier keer feest!". FC Utrecht. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  14. "Coronavirus and sport: Eredivisie cancelled because of pandemic - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 25 April 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  15. "Ігор Суркіс: "Якщо не буде заборон влади, із понеділка ми з задоволенням займемося продажем квитків на матчі Ліги чемпіонів"" (in Ukrainian). FC Dynamo Kyiv. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  16. "Ferencváros–Dynamo Kiev". uefa.com. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  17. "Inhulets–Dynamo K – FC Dynamo Kyiv. Official club website". 21 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  18. "Bine ai venit, Tudor Băluță!" [Welcome, Tudor Băluță!] (in Romanian). FCV Farul Constanța. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  19. "România - Chile 3-2. Rezerva Budescu a adus victoria tricolorilor. Sud-americanii au jucat o oră în 10" [Romania - Chile 3–2. Substitute Budescu brought victory for "the Tricolours". The South Americans played for an hour in ten men] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  20. "Romania 4–1 Croatia". UEFA.com. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  21. "Germany 4–2 Romania". UEFA.com. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  22. Tudor Băluță at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  23. "Tudor Băluță". European Football. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
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