PAOK FC announce they have acquired Alin Toșca on loan from Real Betis Balompié, the deal including a buy-out option in the summer of 2019.

24.08.2018

Toșca was born in Alexandria, Romania, on 14 March 1992. He kicked off his football career at the academy ranks of the local Florea Voicilă. He impressed the scouts of FC Steaua București who brought him to the youth ranks of the Bucharest club in 2007.

Two years later, he made his professional debut in Romania’s second tier with the B team of Steaua. He featured in 14 encounters for them, before getting shipped on loan to FC Unirea Urziceni. He played in the Romanian top flight league with the “Wolves of Bărăgan”. Despite his young age, he became a regular and featured in 19 games.

He was released from his contract in the summer of 2011 and chose to continue his career at Săgeata Năvodari of Liga II. The team failed to gain promotion, but Toșca distinguished himself and earned a transfer to FC Viitorul Constanța.

He remained in the Ovidiu club for two seasons. He made 56 appearances and served two assists, while becoming one of the best left full-backs of the Romanian league. FC Steaua București had to pay to make sure he would join their ranks again.

He would stay longer in Bucharest this time around, until January 2017. He featured in 96 encounters, scored one goal and made his European debut on 22 July 2015 against AS Trenčín for the UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round. He celebrated one league title, one Romanian Cup and two League Cups, before signing for Real Betis Balompié.

He was thrown in at the deep end right from the start in Spain, as he made his La Liga debut against FC Barcelona and their mighty attacking trio Messi–Suárez–Neymar. Betis managed to edge a 1-1 draw. He completed the 2017-18 season with 17 matches under his belt. Last season, he didn’t get much time on the pitch at the start of the season, so he moved on loan to Benevento Calcio in January. He played 13 full matches in Serie A. But the team got relegated, therefore didn’t activate the buy-out clause in his contract.

Toșca earned his maiden international cap on 23 March 2016, when he was called for the first time by Anghel Iordănescu in the national team of Romania. He has now 11 caps to his name.

At PAOK he will team up again with Fernando Varela, former club-mate at FC Steaua București.