Edon Pruti

Edon Pruti (born 8 April 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender. He most recently played for club Hartlepool United.

Pruti is a product of the Stevenage and Burnley academies and began his senior career in non-League football with Hanwell Town and Slough Town. Following a short spell with Premier League club Brentford, he transferred to Hartlepool United in 2023. Pruti was capped by Albania at youth level.

Youth years
A central defender, Pruti began his career in Sunday league football. Following a spell in the Stevenage academy, he signed a two-year scholarship with the Burnley academy at the end of the 2017–18 season. Prior to the cancellation of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pruti played the first senior football of his career away on loan at North West Counties League First Division South club Abbey Hey. Pruti sign a three-month extension to his scholarship in June 2020, but was released when it expired in September 2020.

Non-League football
Late in the COVID-19-affected 2020–21 season, Pruti made cup appearances for Isthmian League South Central Division club Hanwell Town. He was a part of the club's Middlesex Senior Cup-winning squad and played, scored and was named man of the match in the 1–0 victory over Harefield United in the Final. Pruti remained with the club and made 10 appearances, scoring one goal, during the first half of the 2021–22 season. He transferred to National League South club Slough Town in January 2022 and made 9 appearances and scored one goal during the remainder of the 2021–22 season. Following three appearances during the opening month of the 2022–23 season, Pruti departed Arbour Park.

Brentford
On 31 August 2022, Pruti joined the B team at Premier League club Brentford on a one-year contract, with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee. He had played for the team on trial early in the 2021–22 season. Following 14 appearances and one goal, Pruti transferred out of the club in January 2023.

Hartlepool United
On 13 January 2023, Pruti signed a short-term contract with League Two club Hartlepool United, with an option to extend. He made 21 appearances during the remainder of the 2022–23 season, which culminated in relegation to the National League. In May 2023, the club opted to extend Pruti's contract. Following two early-2023–24 season appearances, he was dropped from the matchday squad. Pruti spent the majority of the remainder of the season on loan at National League South club Farnborough,  whom he initially joined on 20 October 2023. Pruti was released by Hartlepool United when his contract expired at the end of the 2023–24 season.

International career
Pruti was called up to a Kosovo U19 training camp held in April 2019. He was also called into a Bosnia and Herzegovina U18 training camp in January 2020, but did not participate. Pruti later switched his international allegiance to Albania, with whom he was capped at U18 and U19 level. He was called into the U21 squad for friendly matches versus Poland and Azerbaijan in March 2023, but remained with his club. Pruti made his U21 debut with a substitute appearance in a 3–1 friendly defeat to Bulgaria on 20 June 2023. He won further call-ups for 2025 European U21 Championship qualifiers in October and November 2023, but did not make an appearance.

Personal life
Pruti was born at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital from Bosnian father and Kosovan mother. He was brought up in Ladbroke Grove. As of 2023, Pruti was in a relationship with Tallulah-May Flood, niece of Victoria Beckham.

Honours
Hanwell Town
 * Middlesex Senior Cup: 2020–21