Charlotte FC announced the acquisition Tuesday of midfielder Alan Franco from Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro.
The 23-year-old Ecuador native joins the MLS expansion club a on a one-year loan deal with an option to purchase.
Franco helped Atletico Mineiro win their first Brazilian Serie A title in 50 years in 2021.
We have signed 23-year-old midfielder Alan Franco from @Atletico.#ForTheCrown | @honeywell https://t.co/X1QRW3JLqT
— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) December 21, 2021
He reunites with Charlotte head coach Miguel Angel Ramirez. In Ecuador, he played for Ramirez’s Independiente del Valle team that won the 2019 Copa Sudamericana championship.
“Alan is a versatile midfielder who knows the system and style of football we want to play and was very productive during his time with Miguel at Independiente del Valle,” Charlotte sporting director Zoran Krneta said in a team release. “He has become a regular in the Ecuador national team, who are on pace to qualify for the World Cup in a very challenging region. With this addition, we continue to add title-winning talent to our roster as we approach our inaugural season, and we look forward to seeing Alan in Charlotte soon.”
Franco has earned 18 caps for Ecuador’s national team, including nine appearances during the current World Cup qualification cycle.
Franco is not related to the Argentina-born Atlanta United defender with the same name.
–Field Level Media
