Get To Know: Alex Pascanu

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Get To Know: Alex Pascanu

Despite only turning 18 last year, versatile defender Alex Pascanu has become a popular and reliable figure in the Leicester City Development Squad over the past two seasons.

2017-09-17T15:29:00.000Z

by Sam Stevens

Published

17 Sep, 2017

Get To Know: Alex Pascanu

Despite only turning 18 last year, versatile defender Alex Pascanu has become a popular and reliable figure in the Leicester City Development Squad over the past two seasons.

Sam Stevens

2017-09-17T15:29:00.000Z

Get To Know: Alex Pascanu

Despite only turning 18 last year, versatile defender Alex Pascanu has become a popular and reliable figure in the Leicester City Development Squad over the past two seasons.

Sam Stevens

2017-09-17T15:29:00.000Z

Get To Know: Alex Pascanu

Despite only turning 18 last year, versatile defender Alex Pascanu has become a popular and reliable figure in the Leicester City Development Squad over the past two seasons.

Sam Stevens

2017-09-17T15:29:00.000Z

Get To Know: Alex Pascanu

Despite only turning 18 last year, versatile defender Alex Pascanu has become a popular and reliable figure in the Leicester City Development Squad over the past two seasons.

Sam Stevens

2017-09-17T15:29:00.000Z

Just over 14 years ago, Pascanu, the Club’s Academy Player of the Season, joined his family in embarking on a life-changing relocation from Romania to the United Kingdom.

However, by the time he joined City's Academy at the tender age of eight, he had already settled into Leicester life, learning the language quickly and regularly visiting Filbert Way at weekends.

Last month, Pascanu sat down with LCFC.com to look back on his development at Belvoir Drive thus far before outlining his ambition to succeed at the Club over the coming seasons.

“When I was back in Romania, I used to play with my friends out in the street every day,” he said.

“Then, when I came over to England, I wanted to get into it as well. I started to play in an amateur team in my local area and, when I was about eight, I joined Leicester and just took it from there.

“It was difficult in the beginning, getting used to another language, but I picked it up within a couple of months.

“I always used to go back home every three or four months so I remembered how to speak Romanian.

"When I came over to England, there were better players and it was more competitive.

“I enjoyed it more. Going up through the age groups, I wanted just to play. At Under-14s level, we started to get two-year continuation contracts, but it was all just fun.

“I wasn’t really looking into becoming a football player, I was just enjoying myself.”

Pascanu grew up during a fabled time which saw defenders earn worldwide acclaim at international level.

Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro, who lifted the World Cup in Berlin 11 years ago, was even named as the best player in the world, beating Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho.

For an aspiring Romanian defender, the form of Cristian Chivu also acted as motivation to work on his game in a position considered my some to be less glamorous than more advanced roles.

“I remember Cannavaro as a young player when I was nine or 10,” Alex added.

“There was [Adrian] Mutu and Chivu for Romania. I used to watch every match and I wanted to be like them, representing my country and my Club at the highest possible level.

“I’m hoping to represent them [Romania] at senior level. We’re going to see what we can do in the Under-21s, we hope to qualify for the Euros and go even further.”

The main aim for Pascanu and his Development Squad team-mates, however, has always been to impress the coaching staff at King Power Stadium and earn a senior call-up.

He watched on as Fleckney-based centre back Josh Knight made the grade for City in Round 2 of Carabao Cup at Sheffield United last month.

Craig Shakespeare, the first team manager, has proven that he is willing to give youth a chance and is regularly spotted in the crowd for Under-23s fixtures.

For Alex, now is the time to knuckle down and continue his excellent form for Steve Beaglehole's Development Squad.

The Foxes have made a promising start to the new Premier League 2 campaign with Pascanu proving central to their fortunes once again.

Having grown up around the current first team squad, sharing lunches and occasional training sessions at Belvoir Drive, Pascanu is determined to continue climbing the ranks.

“Since I was younger, I’ve been watching all the players come through and I’ve been going to every game, seeing the atmosphere and growing up around the fans,” he added.

“I really do want to play for Leicester, make my debut and, after that, kick on and make as many appearances as I can for club and country.”

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