Bogdan Vătăjelu

Bogdan Vătăjelu
	Vătăjelu captaining Universitatea Craiova in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Bogdan Ilie Vătăjelu
Date of birth	24 April 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Left-back
Team information
Current team	Aktobe
Number	88
Youth career
2003–2007	Sporting Râmnicu Vâlcea
2007–2009	Steaua București
Senior career*
Years	Team
2009–2011	Steaua II București
2011–2013	CSM Râmnicu Vâlcea
2013	Metalul Reșița
2014–2016	Universitatea Craiova
2017–2019	Sparta Prague
2019	→ Jablonec (loan)
2019–2023	Universitatea Craiova
2023–2024	Universitatea Cluj
2024–	Aktobe
International career‡
2009–2010	Romania U17
2011–2012	Romania U19
2014–	Romania
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2022

Bogdan Ilie Vătăjelu (born 24 April 1993) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Kazakhstan Premier League club Aktobe.^[1]

Club career

Early career

Vătăjelu is a product of the Steaua București youth academy and made his professional debut with the reserves in 2010.^[2] Making 25 appearances for the reserves, he joined CSM Râmnicu Vâlcea in 2011 playing there until 2013 in Liga II.^[3]

In 2013, he signed for Metalul Reșița where he had a brief spell playing in 14 outings. He was named the captain after playing just two matches.^[3] During his time in the club, it was reported that Premier League club Sunderland, Championship club Watford and even Spanish club RCD Mallorca showed their interest in signing him.^[4]

Universitatea Craiova

In January 2014, Vătăjelu penned a three-year deal with CS Universitatea Craiova, who were playing in the second league at that time.^[5] He made 14 appearances in the remainder of the season and helped his team achieve promotion to the Liga I.

Vătăjelu was Universitatea's most featured player in the 2014–15 season and in 2016 he eventually gained team captaincy.^[6] On 2 October 2016, he scored from action in a 1–2 loss against his former club Steaua București.^[7]

Sparta Prague

On 27 December 2016, Vătăjelu signed a 3+1⁄2-year contract with Czech club Sparta Prague for an undisclosed transfer fee,^[8] rumoured to be around €1.4 million.^[9]

Return to Universitatea Craiova

On 26 June 2019, Vătăjelu rejoined Universitatea Craiova by signing a four-year contract.^[10]

Universitatea Cluj

On 24 June 2023, Universitatea Cluj announced the signing of Vătăjelu.^[11]

International career

Between 2011 and 2012, he played for Romania under-19 team on four occasions. On 25 May 2014, while still in the second division, he was called to the senior national team for the friendlies against Algeria and Albania.^[3]

Honours

Source:^[1]

Universitatea Craiova

Aktobe

Kazakhstan Cup: 2024

References

^ ^a ^b Bogdan Vătăjelu at Soccerway
^ "Vâlceanul Bogdan Vătăjelu, la prima echipă a Stelei [Bogdan Vătăjelu Valcea, the first team of the Star]". Arenavalceana. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Povestea lui Bogdan Vătăjelu, jucătorul ajuns la lotul național din Liga a II-a! [Bogdan's story Vătăjelu, reached national team player in League II!]". Sportsnews. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
^ "CSU Craiova l-a luat pe "noul Chivu"! Oltenii atacă promovarea cu Bogdan Vătăjelu, "viitorul fundaș stânga al Naționalei" [CSU Craiova took the 'new Chivu'! Oltenii attack Bogdan Vătăjelu promotion, "the future of the National Left Back"]". Stiridesport. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
^ "Bogdan Vătăjelu vrea să-i calce pe urme lui Cristi Chivu" [Bogdan Vătăjelu wants to follow the footsteps of Cristi Chivu] (in Romanian). Gazeta de Sud. 16 January 2014. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
^ "Bogdan Vătăjelu" (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^ "Liga 1: Steaua invinge pe CS U Craiova si se distanteaza in fruntea clasamentului" [Liga 1: Steaua defeats CS U Craiova and distances on the first place of the table] (in Romanian). Ziare. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^ "Bogdan Vatajelu posílil Spartu" [Bogdan Vătăjelu strengthened Sparta] (in Czech). AC Sparta Prague. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^ "Cel mai tare transfer al iernii în Liga 1. Vătăjelu semnează azi şi Craiova dă lovitura" [The biggest transfer of the winter in Liga I. Vătăjelu signs today and Craiova hits the jackpot] (in Romanian). DigiSport. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^ "#BineAiRevenitBogdan / Vătă se întoarce ACASĂ" (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
^ "Bine ai venit la "U", Bogdan Vătăjelu!" [Welcome to "U", Bogdan Vătăjelu!] (in Romanian). fcucluj.ro. Retrieved 10 August 2023.

External links

Bogdan Vătăjelu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
Bogdan Vătăjelu at National-Football-Teams.com
Bogdan Vătăjelu – UEFA competition record (archive)

[Soccerway|bogdan-vtjelu/154982-1] Bogdan Vătăjelu at Soccerway

[2] "Vâlceanul Bogdan Vătăjelu, la prima echipă a Stelei [Bogdan Vătăjelu Valcea, the first team of the Star]". Arenavalceana. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2014.

[Nat-3] "Povestea lui Bogdan Vătăjelu, jucătorul ajuns la lotul național din Liga a II-a! [Bogdan's story Vătăjelu, reached national team player in League II!]". Sportsnews. Retrieved 18 August 2014.

[4] "CSU Craiova l-a luat pe "noul Chivu"! Oltenii atacă promovarea cu Bogdan Vătăjelu, "viitorul fundaș stânga al Naționalei" [CSU Craiova took the 'new Chivu'! Oltenii attack Bogdan Vătăjelu promotion, "the future of the National Left Back"]". Stiridesport. Retrieved 18 August 2014.

[5] "Bogdan Vătăjelu vrea să-i calce pe urme lui Cristi Chivu" [Bogdan Vătăjelu wants to follow the footsteps of Cristi Chivu] (in Romanian). Gazeta de Sud. 16 January 2014. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2014.

[6] "Bogdan Vătăjelu" (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.

[7] "Liga 1: Steaua invinge pe CS U Craiova si se distanteaza in fruntea clasamentului" [Liga 1: Steaua defeats CS U Craiova and distances on the first place of the table] (in Romanian). Ziare. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.

[8] "Bogdan Vatajelu posílil Spartu" [Bogdan Vătăjelu strengthened Sparta] (in Czech). AC Sparta Prague. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.

[9] "Cel mai tare transfer al iernii în Liga 1. Vătăjelu semnează azi şi Craiova dă lovitura" [The biggest transfer of the winter in Liga I. Vătăjelu signs today and Craiova hits the jackpot] (in Romanian). DigiSport. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.

[10] "#BineAiRevenitBogdan / Vătă se întoarce ACASĂ" (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.

[11] "Bine ai venit la "U", Bogdan Vătăjelu!" [Welcome to "U", Bogdan Vătăjelu!] (in Romanian). fcucluj.ro. Retrieved 10 August 2023.

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