Alan Franco (footballer, born 1998)
Alan Steven Franco Palma (born 21 August 1998) is an Ecuadorian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC, on loan from Brazilian Serie A club Atlético Mineiro, and the Ecuador national team. Career. Independiente del Valle. Franco came through the youth setup at Independiente del Valle and made his professional debut as an 18-year-old in 2016. He was a first team regular by 2018 and was one of the standout performers of Independiente del Valle’s winning campaign in the 2019 Copa Sudamericana, in which he and  defender Luis Segovia were the only players to start every game. Atlético Mineiro. On 4 June 2020, Franco moved to Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro. Loan to Charlotte FC. On 21 December 2021, Atlético Mineiro agreed to send Franco to Major League Soccer expansion club Charlotte FC on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy. International career. In August 2018, Franco was called up to the Ecuadorian national team for the first time by manager Hernán Darío Gómez. He made his debut on 12 September 2018, in a friendly against Guatemala.