Stephan Negru

Stephan Negru (born 24 July 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Salford City, on loan from club Oxford United.

Club career
Negru started his career with Lourdes Celtic, before moving to Shelbourne in 2017. Having spent six years playing youth football for Shelbourne, he made his debut in August 2022, playing 90 minutes in a 4–0 FAI Cup win over Bonagee United. He marked his debut in the League of Ireland Premier Division with a goal; the equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Finn Harps.

On 15 December 2022, it was announced that Negru would join EFL League One side Oxford United on 1 January 2023. Upon joining, he stated his intention to progress to the first team as soon as possible. He was named on the bench for Oxford United's FA Cup tie against Arsenal, but did not feature as his side lost 3–0. He made his first-team and League One debut as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on 7 April 2023, and his full debut in the following match, a goalless away draw at Port Vale on 9 April, in which he suffered a suspected broken nose, though later scans showed there was no fracture.

After an injury to Jordan Thorniley early in the 2023–24 season led to a run of first-team appearances, Negru's promising form reportedly attracted interest from Premier League teams, prompting the club to extend his contract in September 2023.

In June 2024 he signed on loan for Salford City for the 2024–25 season.

International career
Though multiple sources cite his place of birth as Florești, Moldova, Negru himself has stated that he was born in Ireland. He is, however, eligible to represent Moldova as his parents are both Moldovan. He has held discussions with both nations, with Moldova looking to call him up at under-21 level.

Style of play
An aggressive defender, who describes his defending style as "old-school", Negru lists John Terry as a player he models his game on. He is noted for his heading and tackling abilities, and is described as a physical player.

Personal life
Regarding his Moldovan heritage, his surname Negru literally means "black" in the Romanian language. This became a center of discussion when, on 24 September, IShowSpeed called Negru via FaceTime during a livestream. The two engaged in a comical conversation regarding FIFA cards and his surname, to which Negru clarified the pronunciation of his name and his background. The call concluded with the two playfully barking at each other, IShowSpeed's well-known signature. During the call, however, Negru's number was accidentally leaked to the audience.