Dundee United are delighted to announce the signing of Moldovan international Iurie Iovu from NK Istra 1961, who joins the club on a two-year deal with a club-held option of an additional 12 months. The move is subject to SFA and international clearance.

Born in the capital, Iovu began his footballing journey with eight-time Liga champions Zimbru Chisinau.

He was earmarked as one to watch, and attracted multiple suitors across the continent, eventually venturing west to join Italian outfit Cagliari's Academy.

Iovu flourished in a youth system which has produced stars such as UEFA European Championship winner Nico Barella and current Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, starring for the club’s U17 & U19 sides, and was subsequently named in first-team matchday squads for clashes with Roma, Fiorentina and Atalanta during 2021/22.

The towering defender’s burgeoning rise in Sardinia also brought his first taste of senior international action, as he was handed his debut by Moldova boss Roberto Bordin in a FIFA World Cup Qualifying battle with Austria.

Aged just 19 years and four months at the time of his bow, Iovu remains the youngest player to represent his national team in a competitive match since 2018.

In the summer of 2022, he swapped one Italian island for another, joining Venezia and subsequently Croatian top tier side NK Istra 1961, intially on a temporary deal before making the move permanent in the winter window.

Iovu’s debut campaign in Pula saw his new employers secure their highest league finish in their history, ending the term in fifth position. His breakthrough came at the end of the following season however, as he carved out a starting spot for Istra’s final six matches in which he tasted defeat just once.

14 further appearances for the Verudeži followed at the beginning of last term, where our new addition ranked in the top two for aerial duel success rate and shots blocked per 90 minutes in the division for players aged under 23.

The last four months brought an Iberian adenture for Iovu, as he headed to Spain to ply his trade with Deportivo Alaves B. The highly-rated 22-year-old aided their efforts to emerge victorious in eight of their last 13 matches, attaining a further 1,000 minutes of competitive experience and immersing himself within the first-team environment.

A combative and aggressive ball-winner standing at a colossal 196cm, Iovu will become the first Moldovan to represent Dundee United in our 116-year history.

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After confirming his first capture of the summer, Dundee United Manager Jim Goodwin expressed his satisfaction, saying: “Iurie is a player we identified as one of our first targets for the summer window thanks to his dominant displays across three different European countries.

“He is a committed and fearless defender with an infectious level of controlled aggression when carrying out his duties, and boasts the ideal set of physical attributes to thrive in the Scottish Premiership. 

He continued: “At just 22, Iurie also has the potential to develop into a fantastic asset for the club further down the line. In the short-term however, we have unwavering confidence in his ability to strengthen our backline across the next few seasons.”

 

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