Position
Goalkeeper
Height (ft)
6' 8"
Date of birth
01 February 1987
Weight (st)
TBC
Place of birth
Bacău, Romania
International caps / goals
14 / 0
Costel Pantilimon arrived on loan at City in August 2011, before making the move permanent in the following December.
After rising through the ranks at his local Club Aerostar Bacau, the Romanian was offered the chance to join FC Timisoara on his 19th birthday in 2005.
Though he made his debut for Timisoara in March 2007, Pantilimon arrived as the Club’s second choice keeper, and it wasn’t until a change of ownership in May 2008 that Pantilimon was installed as Timisoara’s first choice.
Having appeared in the 2009/10 Champions League qualifying rounds and played against City during last season’s Europa League meeting of the two sides, Pantilimon has experience of European football and is also a regular fixture in the Romanian national side.
Voted Romanian Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010, he reportedly attracted the interest of Arsenal, Inter Milan and Manchester United before joining the Blues on loan.
