Career
He plays as a second striker but he is often used as a full striker. He is usually holder at the Romanian national team Rapid București Daniel "Nico" Niculae started his professional career at Rapid București in 2000.
Niculae was Rapid"s leading scorer in the 2004-2005 season, with 14 goals – the third highest total in Romania"s Liga 1.
In the 2005-2006 campaign, he and Mugurel Buga formed one of the most powerful striker pairs of the competition, with Niculae scoring 8 goals, as Rapid reached the Quarter-Finals of the competition. The season also saw Rapid claim the 2006 Romanian Cup, with Niculae scoring the winning goal in the first minute of extra-time, against Național București.
Auxerre Niculae was transferred to French club AJ Auxerre in the summer of 2006, for €3.3 million. However, the following season his form improved, as he scored 11 goals to help keep the club in Ligue 1.
The 2008-2009 season was one to forget for Niculae.
He was deeply affected by the loss of his father, and despite threatening to score on several occasions, he failed to find the Netto in 32 games. Things got back on track in 2009-2010 however. Jean Fernandez initially wanted to loan out Niculae for the season, but the latest signing Alexandre Licata was ruled out for most of the season with a serious ankle injury.
Daniel Niculae found a new role in the Auxerre side, as a creater of goals rather than a scorer of them.
As of April 2010, he lies third in the table for assists in Ligue 1 with a total of 8. He has a brilliant entente with Polish goalscorer Ireneusz Jeleń and has helped the Burgundian side to reach second in the table and to thus push for the Champions League places.
Monaco Nancy (loan) On 31 August 2011, Niculae signed for French side AS Nancy on a season long loan. Although, before the game started, Auxerre"s supporters booed him, at the end he got a standing ovation for his impressive performance.
Kuban Krasnodar On 6 June 2012, he joined the Russian club Kuban Krasnodar, on a two-year contract.
Here he will be coached by Yuri Krasnozhan. He was selected for Romania"s Euro 2008 squad, and started his country"s first two matches. Other than the fact that they share birthplace, he has no connection with namesake and fellow international Marius Niculae.
International goals Club.