Umut Sözen

Umut Sözen — Biography

Umut Sözen is a Turkish attacking midfielder born on 27 January 1990 in the Karşıyaka district of İzmir. He grew up there and began in the youth system of the city's historic club Altay. He changed schools several times in his teens, finishing high school in Trabzon. He caught the eye of Ankaraspor official Mehmet Şen in an under-17 match and signed with Ankaraspor, which gave him his first professional contract. He scored his first professional goal against Sivasspor on 8 March 2009.

He went on to play for Kayserispor, Ankaraspor, Manisaspor, Adana Demirspor, Ankaragücü and Kardemir Karabükspor, with loan spells at Adana Demirspor and, in August 2013, Manisaspor. In June 2016 he agreed a deal with the İzmir club Altınordu. In later years he played in the lower divisions, including Vanspor and Fethiyespor. He left İzmir Çoruhlu in January 2025 and signed for Menemen in August 2025.

He represented Turkey at youth level, making his first international appearance for the under-16s and also playing for the under-17, under-19 and under-21 sides, including the under-19 European Championship. In November 2011 he started for the Turkey A2 team in a friendly against Norway in Antalya.