{{short description|Romanian footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Dumitru Copil | image = | fullname = Dumitru Alexandru Copil | height = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|03|14|df=yes}} | birth_place = Arad, Romania | currentclub = Unirea Sântana | clubnumber = 10 | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Atletico Arad | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Luceafărul București | years1 = 2007–2009 | clubs1 = Heart of Midlothian | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2009–2014 | clubs2 = Gloria Arad | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 2009–2010 | clubs3 = → UTA Arad (loan) | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2010–2012 | clubs4 = → Bihor Oradea (loan) | caps4 = 7 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2012–2013 | clubs5 = → Jiul Petroșani (loan) | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 2013–2013 | clubs6 = → Șoimii Pâncota (loan) | caps6 = | goals6 = | years7 = 2013–2014 | clubs7 = → Ineu (loan) | caps7 = | goals7 = | years8 = 2014–2017 | clubs8 = UTA Arad | caps8 = 98 | goals8 = 16 | years9 = 2017 | clubs9 = Șoimii Lipova | caps9 = | goals9 = | years10 = 2018 | clubs10 = Gloria LT Cermei | caps10 = 12 | goals10 = 2 | years11 = 2018–2019 | clubs11 = Progresul Pecica | caps11 = 9 | goals11 = 1 | years12 = 2020 | clubs12 = Frontiera Curtici | caps12 = | goals12 = | years13 = 2021–2023 | clubs13 = Socodor | caps13 = 11 | goals13 = 0 | years14 = 2024– | clubs14 = Unirea Sântana | caps14 = | goals14 = | pcupdate = 22:30, 6 January 2025 (UTC) }}
'''Dumitru Alexandru Copil''' (born 14 March 1990) is a Romanian footballer, who plays as a midfielder for Liga IV side Unirea Sântana.<ref>[http://www.sportarad.ro/2018/08/10/copil-si-blanaru-la-pecica-diarra-si-stanciu-la-glogovat-sau-avramutiu-la-curtici-transferuri-calde-in-liga-4-a-arad/ Copil și Blănaru – la Pecica, Diarra și Stanciu – la Glogovăț sau Avrămuțiu la Curtici, transferuri calde în Liga 4-a Arad]. sportarad.ro {{in lang|ro}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Early career ===
Copil began his career at Atletico Arad, and spent time at the Luceafărul București development centre. He came to prominence in December 2006, when it was reported that Liverpool and Celtic were interested in signing him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/6202787.stm|title=Hearts could beat Celtic to Copil|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2010-06-18|date=22 December 2006}}</ref> He was described in the press as "the new Hagi".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football:+POVERTY+TO+PARADISE%3B+EXCLUSIVE+ROMANIAN+WONDERKID+SET+TO...-a0156242789|title=Football: POVERTY TO PARADISE; EXCLUSIVE ROMANIAN WONDERKID SET TO COMPLETE RAGS-TO-RICHES MOVE |newspaper=Daily Record|author=Hugh Keevins|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=22 December 2006}}</ref>
=== Heart of Midlothian ===
Heart of Midlothian won the race to sign Copil, paying a fee in the region of £125,000<ref name=ws/> to secure him to a two-year deal with a further five-year option.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/6233813.stm|title=Hearts confirm Romanian signing|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2010-06-18|date=15 January 2007}}</ref> His parents were flown over from Arad to Edinburgh to accompany him.
In November 2007 the magazine World Soccer named Copil among the top 50 young footballers in the world.<ref name=ws>{{Cite web|url=http://issuu.com/kerex/docs/wsoccer.nov2007|title=Hagi comparisons for Hearts youngster|publisher=World Soccer|page=43|author=Nick Bidwell|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=November 2007}}</ref> However, he was unable to break into Hearts' first-team and went AWOL in March 2008, returning to Arad after being substituted in a Youth Cup tie.<ref name=buc/>
He was persuaded to return, but told to stay away until pre-season training began in June 2008. The Lithuanian owners of the club suspected that he was only coming back in order to be paid over the summer break.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11781_3719396,00.html|title=Copil returns from Hearts exile |publisher=Sky Sports|author=Chris Burton|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=21 June 2008}}</ref> Copil's homesickness and frustration at his absence of first-team football continued in 2008–09, with Hearts' manager Stephen Frail stating that he was not yet good enough to play in the SPL.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Dumitru+still+has+chance.-a0177237833|title=Dumitru still has chance |newspaper=Sunday Mail|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=30 March 2008}}</ref>
Copil left Hearts in January 2009 at the culmination of his initial two-year deal. Hearts had reneged on the five-year option, but offered a one-year extension which they claimed entitled them to a transfer fee when he moved on.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-19760015.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104063812/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-19760015.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2012|title=Article: Hearts seek transfer fee as Copil heads home to Romania |newspaper=The Scotsman|page=65|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=16 January 2009}}</ref>
===Return to Romania===
While AWOL from Hearts, Copil had announced his intention to train with Dinamo București,<ref name=buc>{{Cite news|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201000000*/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16255023.html|author=Barry Anderson|title=Copil's heart set on switch to Bucharest|publisher=Evening News|page=47|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=3 April 2008}}</ref> but he rejoined Atletico Arad on transfer deadline day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-19835367.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104063820/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-19835367.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2012|author=Stuart Bathgate|title=Berra joins Wolves for GBP 2.3million and targets playing in top flight|newspaper=The Scotsman|page=70|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=3 February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20090202/copil-returns-to-atletico-arad_2241384_1542179 |title=Copil returns to Atletico Arad |publisher=Heart of Midlothian F.C. |accessdate=2010-06-18 |date=2 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313125333/http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20090202/copil-returns-to-atletico-arad_2241384_1542179 |archivedate=13 March 2012 }}</ref> After playing in the first round of the 2009–10 Cupa României for Gloria Arad,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.glsa.ro/sport/fotbal/47147-gloria_arad_national_sebis.html|language=Romanian|title=Gloria Arad – Naţional Sebiş 5-2|publisher=glsa.ro|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=16 July 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> he joined UTA Arad on loan.<ref name=swin/>
In June 2010 he was linked with a move to Swindon Town.<ref name=swin>{{Cite news|url=http://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-extern/stranieri/dumitru-copil-s-a-inteles-cu-swindon-town-6291651|language=Romanian|title=Dumitru Copil s-a înteles cu Swindon Town!|publisher=Prosport.ro|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=5 June 2010}}</ref> Swindon distanced themselves from the move, revealing that Copil had been on a week's trial with them in March 2010, but they could not get clearance to play him in the reserves.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/8206192.Irish_striker_coming_to_Town/?action=complain&cid=8557064|title=Irish striker coming to Town |newspaper=The Swindon Advertiser|author=Anthony Marshall|accessdate=2010-06-18|date=8 June 2010}}</ref>
Between 2010 and 2013, Copil spent brief periods with various Romanian clubs, before being released by CS Ineu in 2014.
===International career=== Copil has represented Romania at U-17 level.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/fixturesresults/round=2246/match=82225/report=ev.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715115310/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/fixturesresults/round=2246/match=82225/report=ev.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2012 |title=Romania 1-1 Iceland |publisher=UEFA |accessdate=2010-06-18 |date=25 September 2006 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|copil-dumitru/13049}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Copil, Dumitru}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Arad, Romania Category:Romanian Romani people Category:Romanian men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Liga II players Category:Liga III players Category:Heart of Midlothian F.C. players Category:FC UTA Arad players Category:FC Bihor Oradea (1958) players Category:CSM Jiul Petroșani players Category:CS Podgoria Pâncota players Category:Romanian expatriate men's footballers Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland Category:21st-century Romanian sportsmen