Fran Álvarez (footballer, born 1998)

Francisco Javier "Fran" Álvarez Rodríguez (born 21 January 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Polish club Widzew Łódź.

Career
Born in Socovos, Albacete, Castilla-La Mancha, Álvarez was a Villarreal CF youth graduate. He made his senior debut with the reserves on 19 August 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute for Dani Raba in a 1–0 Segunda División B away win over CD Atlético Baleares, but spent the vast majority of the campaign playing for the C-team in Tercera División.

On 16 January 2020, Álvarez moved to another reserve team, Real Valladolid Promesas also in the third division. On 7 July 2021, he signed a one-year deal with Albacete Balompié, freshly relegated to Primera División RFEF.

On 21 June 2022, after being regularly used as Alba achieved promotion to the second division, Álvarez signed a new one-year contract with the club. He made his professional debut on 9 October, replacing goalscorer Manu Fuster in a 1–1 home draw against CD Tenerife.

Álvarez scored his first professional goal on 7 May 2023, netting the opener in a 5–0 away routing of UD Ibiza. On 26 June, he moved abroad for the first time in his career and signed a two-year contract with Polish Ekstraklasa side Widzew Łódź.