# Ianis Stoica

Ianis Ilie Stoica (Romanian pronunciation:; born 8 December 2002) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder for Liga I club Hermannstadt.
After representing Petrolul Ploiești, SC Freiburg, and FCSB at junior level, Stoica made his professional debut for the latter team in 2017, aged 14. In the next years, he was loaned out multiple times to fellow Liga I and Liga II clubs, before signing for Hermannstadt as a free agent in 2024.
Internationally, Stoica has represented Romania from under-16 up to under-21 level.

## Club career
### Early career

Stoica started his career in 2009 in the academy of Petrolul Ploiești, the same year his father Pompiliu signed a professional contract with the club. He left Petrolul in 2016 when it folded, and then had a six-month spell with SC Freiburg in Germany before returning to his country with FCSB, also a former club of his father.

### FCSB

Stoica made his senior debut for FCSB on 25 October 2017, aged 14, in a 6–1 away rout of Sănătatea Cluj in the Cupa României. He became the youngest player to feature in a competitive match for the club, and also scored his first goal in the process.

#### 2019–2021: Various loans

In the winter transfer window of 2019, Stoica agreed to a loan with Dunărea Călărași for the remainder of the season, and on 17 February made his Liga I debut in a goalless draw with Voluntari.
Stoica spent the following campaigns on loan in the second tier with his former youth team Petrolul Ploiești, Metaloglobus București, and CSM Slatina, respectively. He had his most fruitful stint with the latter, scoring seven times from 24 games in spite of the club's relegation at the end of the 2020–21 season.

#### 2021–2023: Return to FCSB

On 1 August 2021, Stoica came off the bench for FCSB to equalise late in a 1–1 league draw at UTA Arad. On the 29th that month, he scored the only goal of the Roș-albaștrii in a 1–4 away loss to four-time defending champions CFR Cluj. Following his first team breakthrough, owner George Becali announced that he rejected a €7.5 million bid for Stoica from Premier League club Arsenal, although the veridicity of his claims was questioned.
On 15 December 2021, Stoica came off the bench at half-time, obtained a penalty in extra time and netted a goal for himself in a 3–1 derby defeat of Rapid București. On 30 January 2022, he scored again in another Bucharest derby by coming off the bench in a 3–0 win over Dinamo București.

#### 2023–2024: Loan to Universitatea Cluj

After failing to score any goals during the first half of the 2022–23 season, Stoica was sent out on a six-month loan to Universitatea Cluj on 17 December 2022. His loan was extended for another year, but he left the club prematurely on 2 February 2024, after receiving an offer from Israeli team Hapoel Be'er Sheva and refusing to train.

### Hermannstadt

On 7 February 2024, after his move to Hapoel Be'er Sheva fell through, Stoica joined fellow Liga I club Hermannstadt as a free agent. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract and was assigned the number 7 shirt.

## International career

Stoica is a Romania youth international, and has represented the country from under-16 up to under-21 level. On 15 August 2019, he scored on debut for the under-18s in a 4–1 victory over Albania. He repeated the performance at the under-21 side on 7 September 2021, netting in a 1–1 friendly draw with Georgia.
On 15 October 2024, Stoica scored a double for Romania under-21 in a 3–1 home win over Switzerland counting for the 2025 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. The result secured his nation the first place in their group, qualifying for their fourth consecutive European Under-21 Championship.

## Style of play

Stoica is a versatile attacker, being able to play on the wing or as a lone striker, but can also be deployed in a less advanced position in the midfield. Michael Yokhin of Goal noted that he "is quick, loves to dribble and improvise, and feels comfortable on both flanks", although "he would arguably be more dangerous on the left" since he is right-footed.

## Personal life

Stoica's father, Pompiliu, was also a professional footballer. A left-back, he too played for FCSB—then named Steaua București—and Petrolul Ploiești.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 8 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FCSB | 2017–18 | Liga I | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| FCSB | 2018–19 | Liga I | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| FCSB | 2021–22 | Liga I | 32 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 9 |
| FCSB | 2022–23 | Liga I | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 |
| FCSB | Total | Total | 38 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 0 | — | — | 57 | 10 |
| Dunărea Călărași (loan) | 2018–19 | Liga I | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Petrolul Ploiești (loan) | 2019–20 | Liga II | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Metaloglobus București (loan) | 2019–20 | Liga II | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| CSM Slatina (loan) | 2020–21 | Liga II | 24 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 7 |
| Universitatea Cluj (loan) | 2022–23 | Liga I | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Universitatea Cluj (loan) | 2023–24 | Liga I | 20 | 5 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 23 | 9 |
| Universitatea Cluj (loan) | Total | Total | 30 | 5 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 9 |
| Hermannstadt | 2023–24 | Liga I | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 5 |
| Hermannstadt | 2024–25 | Liga I | 29 | 8 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 9 |
| Hermannstadt | Total | Total | 44 | 13 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 49 | 14 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 148 | 32 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 0 | — | — | 176 | 40 |
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

## Honours

Universitatea Cluj
* Cupa României runner-up: 2022–23