.jpg) Arlauskis withWatford in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Giedrius Arlauskis | ||
| Date of birth | (1987-12-01)1 December 1987 (age 38) | ||
| Place of birth | Telšiai,Lithuanian SSR,Soviet Union | ||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mastis Telšiai | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2007 | FK Šiauliai | 40 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Unirea Urziceni | 55 | (0) |
| 2010–2014 | Rubin Kazan | 7 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Steaua București | 25 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Watford | 1 | (0) |
| 2016 | →Espanyol (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2017–2020 | CFR Cluj | 85 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Al-Shabab | 8 | (0) |
| 2021 | CFR Cluj | 8 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Universitatea Craiova | 7 | (0) |
| Total | 239 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2008–2015 | Lithuania | 23 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Giedrius Arlauskis (born 1 December 1987) is a Lithuanian former professionalfootballer who played as agoalkeeper.
Arlauskis started out as a senior atFK Šiauliai, before moving to Romanian sideUnirea Urziceni in 2008. He is one of the most decorated players of theLiga I, having won seven Romanian league titles with Urziceni,Steaua București andCFR Cluj combined.[1] Apart from his native Lithuania and the latter country, Arlauskis represented teams in Russia, England, Spain and Saudi Arabia, respectively.
At international level, Arlauskis earned 23caps forLithuania between 2008 and 2015.
Born inTelšiai, Arlauskis started his youth career atMastis Telšiai before moving on toŠiauliai, starting his professional career. In two seasons at Šiauliai, Arlauskis made 34 appearances for the club.
In January 2008 he moved to Romania, joiningUnirea Urziceni for €150K, as a replacement forBogdan Stelea.[2] On 24 March 2008 he made his debut in theLiga I, playing 90 minutes in a 0–0 draw againstCeahlăul Piatra Neamț.[3] In his first half of the season at Unirea Urziceni, Arlauskis made four appearances for the club. The 2008–09 season proved to be Arlauskis' breakthrough at Unirea Urziceni and he went on to make 32 appearances in all competitions.[4] At the end of the season, with the club winning theLiga I, Arlauskis was voted as the league's goalkeeper of the season and was listed in the league's 2008–09 Team of the Year.[5]
In 2009–10 season, Arklauskis continued to be the first choice goalkeeper at Unirea Urziceni and played five out of six matches in Champions League Group Stage.[6] However, Arlauskis struggled to maintain a place in the first team, citing injuries[7] and only made 27 appearances for the club.
After making three league appearances for Unirea Urziceni at the start of the season, Arlauskis moved to Russia, joiningRubin Kazan on a four-year contract worth €2 million.[8] Arlauskis was also close to a move toDynamo Moscow.[9]
Arlauskis made his Rubin Kazan debut on 20 November 2010 in a 2–2 draw againstZenit Saint Petersburg.[10] Arlauskis made his European debut at Rubin Kazan in a 2–0 loss againstTwente.[11] In the2011–12 season, Arlauskis made three league appearances for the club, followed by three appearances for the club in all competitions in the2012–13 season. Arlauskis was unable to established himself as the first choice goalkeeper and was the second choice goalkeeper behindSergey Ryzhikov.
At the end of the 2013–14 season, Arlauskis was told by the club that his contract would not be renewed.[12] Upon leaving Rubin Kazan, Arlauskis said he regret joining the club, saying it had been a wrong choice motivated by money.[13]
After four years in Russia, Arlauskis joinedFC Steaua București on 10 June 2014, as a replacement forCiprian Tătărușanu who had left forFiorentina.[14] Arlauskis was unveiled at a press conference the next day and was given number twenty-four shirt.[15]
After being named on the team in six matches in the Champions League Qualifying, Arlauskis made his FCSB debut on 26 July 2014, in a 3–1 win overRapid București.[16] Arlauskis was in goal for the Champions League Qualification Second Leg againstLudogorets Razgrad. The club lost on penalties after Arlauskis saved one of the seven penalties in the shoot-out, resulting in the club playing in the Europa League.[17] In theEternal derby between FCSB andDinamo București, Arlauskis was in goal when rival supporters threw a firecracker at him in the 82nd minute. After receiving help from the club's doctor he went on to play the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 victory.[18]
His good display at FCSB București throughout 2014 earned him aLithuanian Footballer of the Year award.[19] However, Arlauskis rejected a new contract with the club,[20] leading to him being linked with a move to Fiorentina andRoma, as his contract was due to expire at the end of the 2014–15 season.[21] As a result, the club would leave him out of the squad for important matches, including against Rapid București.[22] Despite this, Arlauskis remained the first choice goalkeeper at FCSB București, despite announcing he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.[23]
Arlauskis ended the season with 25 league appearances after being sent-off in the 47th minute of a 3–1 loss againstCS Pandurii Târgu Jiu on 3 May 2015.[24] Arlauskis missed the rest of the season because of injury concerns[25] and being on the bench. The club went on to win theLiga I,Cupa României andCupa Ligii, achieving a treble.[26]
After one season at FCSB, Arlauskis joinedWatford on a free transfer on 4 June 2015, signing a 4-year contract.[27] Upon joining the club, he was given a number 34 shirt ahead of the new season with the name "Arla" on the back.[28]
Arlauskis made his Watford debut againstPreston North End in theLeague Cup on 25 August 2015.[29] Arlauskis made his Premier League debut on 28 November 2015, replacing the injuredHeurelho Gomes in the 67th minute during Watford's 3–2 win atAston Villa.[30] Reflecting on his debut, Arlauskis described the match as"really hard, the hardest ten minutes of [his] life. It felt much longer than ten minutes."[31] Following Gomes' return to the first team, Arlauskis returned to the substitute bench and soon lost his first team place following the arrival ofCostel Pantilimon.[32]
However, upon returning to Watford in the 2016–17 season, Arlauskis remained out of the first team squad throughout the season.[33] But following Pantilimon's injury, he was called to the 25-man squad, but remained on the substitute bench.[34] Following the arrival of new managerMarco Silva ahead of the 2017–18 season, he left Watford by mutual consent.[35]
On 29 January 2016, Arlauskis joined Spanish sideEspanyol on a 5 months loan from Watford, with an option to buy, being reunited with his former FCSB manager,Constantin Gâlcă.[36]
Arlauskis made hisLa Liga debut two days later, in a 0–6 defeat toReal Madrid.[37] He later conceded two goals in the followed up match on 8 February 2016, in a 5–0 defeat toReal Sociedad.[38] During the match, he tore his rupture in the abductor in his right leg, resulting his substitution and was sidelined throughout February.[39] Although he remained as a second-choice goalkeeper behindPau López,[40] Arlauskis was able to make another appearance on 22 April 2016, in a 4–0 defeat toLas Palmas on 22 April 2016.[41]
At the end of the season, making three appearances for the side, the club turned down to exercise the right to purchase Arlauskis on a permanent basis, allowing him to return to his parent club.[42]
After leaving Watford, Arlauskis was speculated over the transfer move return to Romania, joiningCFR Cluj.[43] The move was confirmed on 15 August 2017.[44]
In August 2008, Arlauskis' performance in Romania led him being called by theLithuania for the first time.[45] Arlauskis made his national team debut as a substitute againstMoldova in a friendly game on 19 November 2008. He joined the game in the 46th minute and conceded a goal after 67 minutes as Lithuania drew with Moldova 1–1.[46]
After playing two more caps as a substitute, his first competitive game then came on 18 June 2010, when Lithuania played a goalless draw with Latvia in theBaltic Cup.[47]
Arlauskis brother,Davydas is also a footballer. Other than speaking Lithuanian, Arlauskis speaks Romanian[2] and English.[48]
Growing up inTelšiai,Lithuania, Arlauskis initially played as a defender before being switched to a goalkeeper by his coach.[48] Arlauskis is a keen fisherman, having caught a fish weighing 21.7 kg.[49]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Šiauliai | 2005 | A Lyga | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2006 | A Lyga | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2007 | A Lyga | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 19 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | ||
| Unirea Urziceni | 2007–08 | Liga I | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | Liga I | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10 | Liga I | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Liga I | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[e] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 55 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 0 | ||
| Rubin Kazan | 2010 | Russian Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Russian Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13 | Russian Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | Russian Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4[c] | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Steaua București | 2014–15 | Liga I | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12[g] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Watford | 2015–16 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Espanyol (loan) | 2015–16 | La Liga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| CFR Cluj | 2017–18 | Liga I | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Liga I | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[h] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | Liga I | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16[i] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 45 | 0 | ||
| Total | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 107 | 0 | ||
| Al Shabab | 2020–21 | Pro League | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[j] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| CFR Cluj | 2020–21 | Liga I | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Liga I | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8[k] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| Universitatea Craiova | 2022–23 | Liga I | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 239 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 311 | 0 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | 2008 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 23 | 0 | |
Unirea Urziceni[50]
Rubin Kazan[50]
Steaua București[50]
CFR Cluj[50]
Lithuania
Individual