Cristian Costel Melinte (born 9 May 1988 in Timişoara

Timisoara

Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...

) is a Romanian

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

 football defender who is currently with Petrolul Ploiești, on loan from Palermo

U.S. Città di Palermo

Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...

.

Club career

He began his career in Fortuna Covaci, but just some months later he changed to play for FC Auxerre Lugoj (Liga II). Then he joined FCM UTA Arad in 2005, playing three times in his first season and five times in the following one, in Liga I

Liga I

Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...

. He then was sent on loan to CS Ineu, and then returned to UTA Arad in early 2008 playing regularly with the side. In late 2008 he joined AS Monaco FC

AS Monaco FC

Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...

 for an unsuccessful trial, and then left to join FC Dinamo Bucureşti later in March 2009.

Career in Italy

He was acquired by Palermo in a free transfer on August 2009, after a successful trial with the Sicilians, being awarded a four-year contract with the rosanero club.

He made his debut on 29 October 2009, playing the first half in a Serie A game ended in a 3–5 away loss to Inter

F.C. Internazionale Milano

Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

. After playing a Coppa Italia

Coppa Italia

The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...

 home game against Reggina

Reggina Calcio

Reggina Calcio are an Italian association football club, the main club of the city of Reggio Calabria. Founded in 1914, they currently play in the Italian Serie B, and play their home matches at the 27,763 seater Stadio Oreste Granillo...

, he was again featured in the Italian Serie A on 30 January 2010 as a replacement for injured Federico Balzaretti

Federico Balzaretti

Federico Balzaretti is an Italian footballer who currently plays as a left back for Serie A club Palermo and Italy national football team.-Club career:...

 in an away game versus Bari

A.S. Bari

Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....

. Melinte's performance was then verbally criticized by club chairman Maurizio Zamparini

Maurizio Zamparini

Maurizio Zamparini is an Italian businessman and the current owner and chairman of Serie A club U.S. Città di Palermo....

 after the Romanian caused a penalty (then scored) with the game being 2–2, and then making a mistake that was instrumental in Bari's fourth goal. Two days later, he was sent out on loan to Serie B

Serie B

Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...

 club Piacenza

Piacenza Calcio

Piacenza Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Piacenza. The club was formed in 1919 and currently plays in Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione B. The team's colors are red and white, prompting one of the team's nicknames, the Biancorossi. They are also known as the Papaveri , and...

 in switch with Marco Calderoni

Marco Calderoni

Marco Calderoni is an Italian footballer who plays for Piacenza.-Career:Calderoni made his first team debut on 25 May 2008 against Cesena, the 2nd last match of the season....

.

He returned at Palermo at the end of his loan spell, but no interested party was found and he was subsequently excluded from the first team. On 31 August 2011 he moved on loan to Petrolul Ploiești.