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 României 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.
Club career
Early career
While a junior at Atletico Arad, Man traveled to English club
Manchester City for several trials,[1] however nothing came out of it and later joined
UTA Arad. Man was promoted from the UTA academy in the summer of 2015,[2] aged 17, and made his senior debut on 29 August in a 2–1 loss to
Gaz Metan Mediaș for the
Liga II championship.[3] On 25 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 away win over
Bihor Oradea.[4]
FCSB
On 6 September 2016,
FC Steaua București transferred Man for an undisclosed fee, with the player penning a one-year deal with the option of another five years.[5][6][7] Man made his debut for the Roș-albaștrii on 2 October 2016 against
Universitatea Craiova, coming on as a
substitute for injured
Florin Tănase in the first half of the game; he himself was replaced in the 66th minute by
Ovidiu Popescu, as his team eventually won 2–1.[8] Later that month he netted his first Steaua—and
Liga I—goal in a 2–0 victory over
Politehnica Iași.[9]
Man won his first career trophy on 22 July 2020, after scoring the only goal of the
Cupa României final played against
Sepsi OSK.[18] On 17 September that year, he scored a
hat-trick in a
Europa League second qualifying round away draw with Serbian team
TSC Bačka Topola. The match ended 6–6 after
extra time, and Man converted the winning penalty in the eventual
shoot-out.[19] Three days later on his 100th Liga I appearance, he again scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 defeat of
Argeș Pitești.[20] Man scored the opener and refused to celebrate in a 3–0 home win against former club UTA Arad on 5 December 2020, which took his
league tally to ten goals. Two fixtures later on the 18th, he netted twice for a 2–0 away victory over title contenders Universitatea Craiova.[21] Shortly after, he was revealed as the winner of the 2020
Romanian Footballer of the Year award by the Gazeta Sporturilor newspaper.[22]
Parma
On 26 January 2021, FCSB owner
Gigi Becali announced that
Serie A club
Parma submitted a bid for the transfer of Man, worth €11 million plus €2 million in add-ons; he accepted the offer the next day.[23][24] Parma officialised the move on the 29th, after Man penned a four-and-a-half-year contract.[25] The transfer fee made him
the most expensive sale of the Romanian championship, as per FCSB's official website.[26] In spite of some Romanian reports giving out the actual fee as being lower,[27] the rumoured figures would still surpass the transfer fee of former record holder
Nicolae Stanciu from 2016.[28]
Man made his Parma debut on 31 January 2021, after coming on in the 80th minute of a 2–0 Serie A loss to
Napoli at the
Stadio San Paolo.[29] A substitute in his first five matches, he was handed his first start by manager
Roberto D'Aversa in a 2–1 home defeat to
Inter Milan on 4 March.[30] Ten days later, he assisted
Valentin Mihăilă's opening goal in an eventual 2–0 victory over
Roma.[31] On 3 April, Man scored his first Serie A goal in a 2–2 away draw with
Benevento.[32] An injury effectively ended his season at Parma with two goals in 14 appearances, as the club got relegated to the
Serie B.[33]
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.[41]
Style of play
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,[42][43] with his Parma manager
Giuseppe Iachini urging him to do so in order to develop further.[44]
In December 2018,
Mirel Rădoi, 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".[43]
Personal life
Man's father, Cristian, is a football coach and former player in the
Divizia B.[45][46]
^"Bine ai venit, Dennis Man!" [Welcome, Dennis Man!] (in Romanian). Steaua București. 6 September 2016. Archived from
the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
^"Mulțumim, Dennis Man!" [Thank you, Dennis Man!] (in Romanian). FCSB. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021. Dennis Man is one of our team's most important players and became, once moving to Parma Calcio 1913, the player sold for the largest fee in the history of Liga 1.
^Ioanițoaia, Ovidiu (29 January 2021).
"Afacerea Dennis Man" [The Dennis Man deal]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 30 January 2021.