Alexandru Iulian Maxim (; born 8 July 1990) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş, on loan from Gaziantep, and the Romania national team. Maxim recorded his professional debut for the reserve team of Espanyol in 2009, and also had a loan spell at Badalona before returning to Romania with Pandurii Târgu Jiu in 2011. His display prompted a move to Germany at the start of 2013, where he amassed Bundesliga totals of 140 games and 14 goals representing VfB Stuttgart and Mainz 05. After seven years in the latter country, Maxim joined Turkish side Gaziantep in 2020, initially on loan. At international level, Maxim made his debut for the Romania senior team in a 1–0 friendly win over Switzerland in May 2012, and has since been capped over 50 times. Club career Early career and Espanyol Maxim started his football career with local side Olimpia Piatra Neamț when he was seven years old before joining Ardealul Cluj in 2004, sharing teams at some point with Mihai Răduț and Vlad Chiricheș. Aged 17, Maxim moved to Spain with Espanyol. About his accommodation in the country, he said that "it was not very easy". After progressing through the club's academy, he then played for the reserves in the Segunda División B. During the 2010–11 campaign, Maxim was loaned to Badalona. Pandurii Târgu Jiu On 9 August 2011, Maxim returned to Romania to sign a one-year contract with the option of another two years for Pandurii Târgu Jiu. Maxim made his debut in the Liga I on 12 September 2011, coming on as a late substitute in a 5–1 win over Mioveni, and scored his first goal for the club on 18 December in a 1–1 draw with Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț. He netted his second on 31 March 2012, in a 1–1 draw against Steaua București. Maxim later scored two more goals against Oțelul Galați and Concordia Chiajna respectively. Despite being absent on some occasions, Maxim finished his first season at the club with four goals in 28 appearances all competitions comprised. The following campaign, Maxim aided Pandurii to a perfect start after scoring one each against Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț and Oțelul Galați, with the team having managed six wins in the first seven matches. By the time the first half of the season came to an end, he had