Valentin Țicu

Valentin Constantin Țicu (born 19 September 2000) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Liga I club Petrolul Ploiești, which he captains.

Club career
Țicu is a youth product of Petrolul Ploiești, and made his senior debut for the club in a Liga III game against Flacăra Moreni on 30 March 2018. On 28 September that year, he registered his first Liga II appearance by playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 thrashing of Aerostar Bacău.

Țicu scored his first goal on 13 October 2019, in a 3–0 league win over Daco-Getica București. In the 2021–22 campaign, he gained team captaincy and aided with 26 appearances and three goals as "the Yellow-Blues" won the Liga II championship.

Țicu made his debut in the top tier by starting in a 0–1 home loss to Voluntari, on 18 July 2022. On 31 March 2023, he scored his first Liga I goal—and the only of the match—in an away victory over FC U Craiova. He was an undisputed starter during the 2022–23 season, totalling 38 league matches.

On 13 September 2023, Petrolul Ploiești announced that Țicu signed a contract extension lasting until 2026. Eleven days later, he committed a foul which left Hermannstadt player Dragoș Iancu with an ankle fracture and was handed a 16-match suspension, later reduced in half.

International career
On 15 June 2023, Țicu was selected by manager Emil Săndoi in the Romania under-21 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Championship. Two days later, as a result of several injuries within the senior team squad, he was called up for a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier against Switzerland, but did not make his debut.

Honours
Petrolul Ploiești
 * Liga II: 2021–22