Alexandru Albu

Alexandru Cristian Albu (born 17 August 1993) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a defender for Saudi First Division League club Al-Hazem.

Albu started out his professional career at Concordia Chiajna in 2015, where he spent several seasons playing in the Liga I before relegating to the second division. Following loans to Academica Clinceni, UTA Arad, and Rapid București, respectively, he signed a permanent contract with the latter in 2021.

Internationally, Albu made his senior debut for Romania in October 2021, in a 1–2 away FIFA World Cup qualifier loss to Germany.

Early life
Albu was born in Bucharest and is of Romani ethnicity. He grew up supporting Steaua București.

Concordia Chiajna
Albu made his professional debut for Concordia Chiajna on 1 May 2015, coming on as an 89th-minute substitute for Hristijan Dragarski in a 1–0 home Liga I win over Pandurii Târgu Jiu. He became a regular starter for the club in the 2016–17 season, and on 7 September 2016 scored his first goal in a 1–2 Cupa Ligii loss to ACS Poli Timișoara.

On 4 March 2017, Albu recorded his first league goal in a 1–1 draw against the same opponent. He amassed totals of 99 appearances and three goals in the top flight for "the Green Eagles", before relegating to the Liga II at the end of the 2018–19 campaign.

Various loans
In January 2020, Albu returned to the Liga I by signing for newly-promoted Academica Clinceni on loan for the remainder of the season. On 16 August, he moved to UTA Arad on a one-year loan.

On 16 June 2021, Albu was loaned again to Rapid București, totalling 36 games and a career-best seven goals in all competitions during the 2021–22 season.

Rapid București
In the summer of 2022, Albu joined Rapid București on a permanent basis after the team paid a previously-agreed €150,000 to Concordia Chiajna. On 23 April 2023, he scored the only goal of a home derby victory over FCSB in the Liga I.

On 25 February 2024, he and his teammate Andrei Borza were expelled from the squad for an undetermined period—later revealed as one match—because they partied in a nightclub after a 1–3 loss to Politehnica Iași.

International career
Albu made his debut for the Romania national team on 8 October 2021, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Nicolae Stanciu in a 1–2 away loss to Germany counting for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Style of play
Albu played as a defender during the first part of his career, mostly as a centre-back, and later developed into a defensive midfielder.

Honours
Concordia Chiajna
 * Cupa Ligii runner-up: 2015–16