Darius Olaru

Darius Dumitru Olaru (born 3 March 1998) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga I club FCSB, which he captains, and the Romania national team.

After starting out at his hometown side Gaz Metan Mediaș, for which he amassed over 100 appearances in the Romanian top flight, Olaru transferred to FCSB in 2020. He immediately went on to win the Cupa României in his first season at the club, and claimed a national title in the 2023–24 campaign.

Internationally, Olaru represented the Romania under-21 team in two editions of the UEFA European Championship, in 2019 and 2021. He registered his full debut for the country in June 2021, in a 1–2 friendly loss to Georgia.

Gaz Metan Mediaș
Olaru made his senior debut for Gaz Metan Mediaș on 29 August 2015, appearing in a 2–1 away win over UTA Arad in the second division. He amassed twelve games and scored two goals during the campaign, as his hometown club returned to the Liga I after only one year of absence.

Olaru recorded his debut in the latter competition on 19 September 2016, in a 2–0 victory against defending champions Astra Giurgiu. On 23 May 2017, he scored his first league goal from the penalty spot in a 3–0 defeat of Concordia Chiajna.

FCSB
In early 2018, Olaru signed a precontract with fellow Liga I side FCSB, but the move initially fell through after a transfer fee could not be agreed upon. In May the following year, the capital-based reinstated its interest and signed him for an undisclosed sum, with the deal seeing him join up with the squad at the start of 2020. FCSB reportedly outbid CFR Cluj for the transfer of Olaru, where he was highly regarded by manager Dan Petrescu.

Olaru was officially unveiled as a FCSB player on 7 January 2020, and was assigned the number 27 jersey. He made his first appearance for the Roș-albaștrii in a 0–1 loss to CFR Cluj on 2 February, and four days later scored the opener in a 2–1 win over Voluntari. Following the conclusion of his first full season at the club, during which he played 30 matches and netted seven times in the league, Olaru was named to the 2020–21 Liga I Team of the Season by the Liga Profesionistă de Fotbal.

In the 2023–24 campaign, Olaru aided with a career-best 15 goals in 36 league games, as FCSB won its first national title in nine years.

Youth
Olaru received his first call-up for the Romania national under-21 team in September 2018, and on 15 November that year scored in a 3–3 friendly draw with Belgium in Cluj-Napoca. He was subsequently selected by Mirel Rădoi in Romania's squad for the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where he played two matches in the group stage and was an unused substitute as his nation exited the competition after a 2–4 defeat to Germany in the semi-finals.

Olaru's age also made him eligible for the 2021 edition of the competition, with head coach Adrian Mutu choosing him in the starting eleven in all three group fixtures of the final tournament. Romania finished with the same number of points as the Netherlands and Germany, but could not progress to the knockout stage.

Senior
Following Olaru's good display throughout the 2020–21 season, Mirel Rădoi—who was in the meantime promoted to the senior national team—handed him his full debut on 2 June 2021, in a 1–2 friendly loss to Georgia. Olaru amassed six games in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, entering mostly as a substitute as Romania finished its group in first place.

Style of play
After being deployed as an offensive-minded midfielder or a winger in his beginnings, Olaru developed more into a box-to-box midfielder following his transfer to FCSB. Romanian manager Ioan Sabău characterised him as "a player who is physically and mentally involved [in his team], both defends and attacks, also has physical strength and appears earnest". Naturally right-footed, Olaru is able to score goals with either foot due to his ambidexterity.

Personal life
Olaru's parents left Romania in order to work abroad and got divorced at some point during his childhood, leaving him mainly in the care of his grandparents. He stated that he was an ardent supporter of Dinamo București growing up.

Honours
Gaz Metan Mediaș
 * Liga II: 2015–16

FCSB
 * Liga I: 2023–24
 * Cupa României: 2019–20
 * Supercupa României: 2024

Individual
 * Liga I Team of the Season: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24
 * Gazeta Sporturilor Romania Player of the Month: April 2022, September 2023