Dennis Man (born 26 August 1998) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays mainly as a winger for Serie B club Parma and the Romania national team.
Man began his senior career at UTA Arad in 2015, and one year later transferred to FCSB. He became an undisputed starter at the capital-based club, being named to the Liga I Team of the Year in the 2018–19 season and winning a Cupa Romaniei in 2020. At short notice after receiving the 2020 Romanian Footballer of the Year award, Man joined Italian side Parma for an initial fee of €11 million, which made him the most expensive player ever signed from the Romanian championship.
Internationally, Man made his senior debut for Romania in March 2018, after being previously capped at under-19 and under-21 levels. He represented the latter team in the 2019 UEFA European Championship, where they managed to reach the semi-finals.
Man was selected for the Romania national under-21 team and scored on debut in a 3–1 away victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 1 September 2017. In March 2018, senior manager Cosmin Contra gave him his first Romania call-up for that month's friendlies against Israel and Sweden. Man made his debut in the latter game, replacing Nicolae Stanciu in 87th minute of the 1–0 win at the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco in Craiova.
On 11 June 2019, Man netted his first senior international goal in a 4–0 defeat of Malta counting for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers. Later that month, he joined up with the under-21 side for the 2019 European Championship, making three appearances as Romania was eliminated by Germany in the semi-finals.
In 2023, Man totalled four matches and one goal in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, missing several fixtures through injury. Romania went on to finish its group in first place.
In his beginnings at UTA Arad, Man was mainly deployed as a centre-forward, but after his transfer to FCSB he eventually evolved into a winger on the right flank. He has been described as versatile, being able to occupy almost all attacking positions when needed, with his Parma manager Giuseppe Iachini urging him to do so in order to develop further.
In December 2018, Mirel Radoi, his under-21 national team coach, stated that when referring to the younger players in the Romanian top flight, Man is "the most complete footballer"; his "technical ability, pace, physical power, work rate, mental toughness" bring him the closest to "the full package". |
