| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Oriol Romeu Vidal | ||
| Date of birth | 24 September 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Ulldecona, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Chelsea | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2004 | Espanyol | ||
| 2004–2009 | Barcelona | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2009–2011 | Barcelona B | 49 | (1) |
| 2011 | Barcelona | 1 | (0) |
| 2011– | Chelsea | 11 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007–2008 | Spain U17 | 5 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Spain U19 | 11 | (1) |
| 2009–2011 | Spain U20 | 8 | (0) |
| 2011– | Spain U21 | 5 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 December 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Oriol Romeu Vidal (born 24 September 1991) is a Spanish football player who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also operate as a central defender.[2]
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Born in Ulldecona, Tarragona, Catalonia, Romeu arrived in FC Barcelona's youth academy in 2004, from neighbours RCD Espanyol, and progressed through the club's youth academy until breaking into the reserve team. Manager Josep Guardiola handed him his first appearance for the senior side in a friendly against Kuwaiti team Kazma Sporting Club, and subsequently included him in the squad for the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, which took place in Abu Dhabi.[3]
On 13 August 2010, due to the need to rest some of Barça's Spanish internationals, Romeu was included in the nineteen-man Barcelona squad to face Sevilla FC in the first leg of the season's Spanish Supercup. He made his official competitive debut in that game, a 1–3 away loss, playing the full ninety minutes.[4][5]
On 15 May 2011, Romeu made his first La Liga appearance, playing the last 10 minutes of a 0–0 home draw against Deportivo de La Coruña in the place of another club youth graduate, Jonathan dos Santos.[6]
On 22 July 2011, reports linked Romeu with a move to Chelsea.[7] The following day, he agreed terms for his transfer, pending a medical or personal terms as he was away on international duty at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[2] On 4 August, the English club announced the completion of the transfer, with the player signing a four-year contract[8] in a deal worth €5 million. The deal also gave Barcelona first refusal via a buy back option should Chelsea deem him surplus to requirements. The deal would see Barcelona pay €10 million in 2012 or €15 million in 2013 to bring him back to the Camp Nou.[9] He was given the number 6 shirt for the 2011–12 season.[10]
It was later clarified by Andre Villas Boas that the buy-back option stated that Barcelona can only buy back if Chelsea are willing to sell.[11]
Romeu made his official debut for Chelsea on 10 September 2011, being brought on as a substitute in the 79th minute of the 2–1 away win against Sunderland.[12] He received his first start on the 21st, in a 0–0 draw (penalty shootout win) against Fulham for the season's Football League Cup.[13]
Romeu made his first UEFA Champions League appearance on 19 October 2011, playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 group stage home win against K.R.C. Genk.[14] He also added 76 minutes in the second game between the two teams, a 1–1 draw in Belgium. Oriol made his first start for Chelsea in the Premier League in the match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He put in an assured performance in a match that ended a 3-0 victory. Romeu retained his place in the team ahead of Mikel and Raul Meireles against Newcastle United away at St. James' Park on Saturday 3 December in the Premier League.[15] His work rate and natural ability in the role of a holding midfielder is making him something of a fan favourite at the club.
On Sunday 11 December 2011, Chelsea issued a statement regarding the deal surrounding Romeu's buy back clause with FC Barcelona. The statement highlights that FC Barcelona do not have an automatic buy back clause as first suggested, however FC Barcelona only have first refusal on any deal if Chelsea wanted to sell Romeu in the future.[16]
After making his professional début for Barça in 2009, Romeu became a mainstay in the under-19 and under-20 national teams, featuring heavily in the 2010 UEFA Under-19 Championship elite qualification round.[17]
05:35, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[18][19]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup1 | Europe | Total | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||||||||
| Barcelona B | 2008–09 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 2009–10 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2010–11 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | 18 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | 49 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | 49 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Barcelona | 2010–11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Chelsea | 2011–12 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Career totals | 61 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 1 | 8 | 0 | |
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