Frank Atoen

Franck Leroy Atoen followed an unusual route into Turkish football, starting out at Amitié FC in Senegal before Samsunspor brought him to Turkey in July 2025. Rather than throwing him straight into the first team, the club placed him with their U19 side, where he became a key player before earning a promotion to the senior squad.

That patience paid off with three call-ups to the Samsunspor first-team squad in the Süper Lig, though he did not make an appearance before the club decided a loan move would serve his development better. In July 2026, he moved to French side USL Dunkerque for the season, a deal announced without any transfer fee involved. He has since made two appearances in Ligue 2, his first taste of senior football away from Samsunspor's youth setup.

Atoen is right-footed and has been described in the media as a "Lionceau", a term used for Cameroon's young talents, though he has not yet been called up to any of the country's national teams at senior or U-20 level. His contract with Samsunspor runs into 2028, giving the Turkish club long-term control over a player they are now developing through a season away from home.