Constantin Budescu

On 19th of August 2019, Astra owner Ioan Niculae confirmed the return of the 30 year old player, signing a contract on two years.

On 15 February 2018, Budescu offered an assist as Harlem Gnohéré scored the only goal of a Europa League round of 32 first leg match with Lazio.

On 28 June 2018, Budescu penned a three-year deal with Saudi Professional League team Al-Shabab for a reported transfer fee of €2.5 million, rejoining his former Astra coach Marius Șumudică.

On 26 January 2017, Budescu chose to stay once again with Astra Giurgiu, joining on a one-and-a-half-year contract. On 16 February, he netted a goal against Genk in a 2–2 Europa League round of 32 home draw.

On 10 June 2017, FCSB activated Budescu's release clause. He subsequently signed a four-year deal with the club, being assigned the number 11 shirt.

Budescu scored on his debut on 16 July 2017, in a 2–1 home victory against FC Voluntari. He again found the net nine days later, converting a free kick in a Champions League third qualifying round home draw to Viktoria Plzeň; on 20 December, he was announced by the Gazeta Sporturilor newspaper as the winner of the 2017 Romanian Footballer of the Year award.

In January 2016, Astra rejected an offer from Steaua București for Budescu. The following month he signed a three-year contract with China League One club Dalian Yifang for an undisclosed fee, with a salary worth €3 million plus €500,000 upon signature.

Budescu was loaned to his previous club in August 2016, being released by the Asians the following January.

On 11 October 2015, Budescu scored a brace against Faroe Islands, helping the country achieve qualification by finishing second in the group one point behind Northern Ireland.

On 21 August 2014, Budescu scored a penalty against French side Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League play-off (2–1 away win, qualification on the away goals rule). On 6 August of the following year, in the same competition but in the third qualifying round, his second leg brace helped defeat West Ham United 2–1 at home and 4–3 on aggregate.

Budescu is nicknamed "Sărmăluță", due to his weakness for traditional food. In October 2014, he married Mădălina in Ploiești, with former footballer Dănuț Coman acting as best man.

In the 2011 summer, Budescu signed a contract with cross-town rivals Astra Ploiești, later relocated and renamed Astra Giurgiu. On 21 July 2013, he scored his first hat-trick in Liga I, in the 4–0 away win against Viitorul Constanța. Four days later, during their first ever appearance in the UEFA Europa League, he netted twice in a 2–1 success at Omonia as his team played 30 minutes with one player less and qualified to the third round; due to his exploits, he was dubbed the "Hero of Nicosia".

Budescu played an unofficial match for Romania B in a 1–4 friendly defeat against Poland, in February 2013. His debut for the full side was made two years later, as he came on as a 78th-minute substitute in a 0–0 away draw against Hungary for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers.

He began his senior career at Petrolul Ploiești, amassing over 150 appearances throughout the course of six seasons before transferring to Astra Ploiești in 2011. With the latter club, which relocated to Giurgiu, he won one Cupa României and one Supercupa României, both in 2014. He had a brief spell with Chinese team Dalian Yifang in early 2016, returned to Astra and then signed for FCSB in June 2017.

In 2009, following the transfer of Laurențiu Marinescu to Unirea Urziceni, Budescu took over the number 10 jersey.

In 2007, Budescu made his debut in Liga II for Petrolul Ploiești whilst still a junior player. Gradually, he imposed himself as a regular first-team member, eventually catching the eye of Rapid București, Politehnica Timișoara and FC Brașov.

Constantin Valentin Budescu (Romanian pronunciation: [konstanˈtin valenˈtin buˈdesku] ; born 19 February 1989) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays mainly as an attacking midfielder for Astra Giurgiu.