Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu

Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (born 22 March 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for club Luton Town. Born in England, he played for the DR Congo national team twice in 2021. He is the first footballer to climb from the non-league tiers of English football to the Premier League with the same club, having played for Luton since 2013.

Early career
Born in Hendon, Greater London, Mpanzu began his career with the youth system at Boreham Wood and made 13 first-team appearances.

West Ham United
Mpanzu signed a two-and-a-half-year professional contract with Championship club West Ham United on 5 December 2011 after a successful trial. He was a member of the West Ham team which won the Ciutat de Barcelona Trophy against Espanyol in September 2013. Mpanzu made his first-team debut in a 2–0 win away to Burnley in the League Cup fourth round on 29 October 2013. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said of his debut, "This was their big chance. Three players, all defenders, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Dan Potts and Leo Chambers, can feel very proud of themselves, what they've done."

Luton Town
On 28 November 2013, Mpanzu signed for Conference Premier club Luton Town on loan until 4 January 2014. He made his Luton debut in central defence two days later in a 0–0 draw with Staines Town in the FA Trophy, and was named man of the match in the replay, which Luton won 2–0, while playing in central midfield. He played in central midfield for five further matches, all victories, before being recalled back to West Ham's squad on 30 December due to his parent club's injury crisis. After impressing in his seven matches for Luton, manager John Still revealed that he was looking to bring Mpanzu back to Kenilworth Road. On 28 January 2014, Mpanzu signed for Luton permanently on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee, in a transfer described as a "major coup". He scored his first goal for the club in a 7–0 win over Hereford United on 15 February 2014, before scoring his second two months later, a "scorching half-volley" in a 2–1 away win over Dartford. He finished 2013–14 with 24 appearances and two goals, as Luton won the Conference Premier title and promotion to League Two. Mpanzu said that his decision to leave West Ham and drop down the divisions had been "the right choice" as he had a winner's medal to justify it.

Mpanzu suffered numerous injuries, including a rare calcification of the hamstring muscle, over the course of 2014–15 and made 18 appearances, of which only 10 were in the starting lineup. He scored one goal during the campaign; an injury-time equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Bury.

He remained fit for most of the 2016–17 season, playing in 52 games in all competitions including both legs of the play-off semi-final, which Luton lost 6–5 on aggregate to Blackpool. Mpanzu signed a new three-year contract with Luton on 3 August 2017, with the option of a further year. In the following two seasons, he achieved two consecutive promotions with Luton to reach the Championship. In July 2021, he signed a new undisclosed-length deal to remain at the club.

On 28 January 2023, he played his 350th match with the club in a 2–2 draw against Grimsby Town in the FA Cup. With Luton Town's promotion to the Premier League secured after winning the 2023 EFL Championship play-off final against Coventry City, he became the first player to go from non-league to the Premier League with the same club. On 10 July 2023, he signed a new contract to extend his tenure at the club into the Premier League.

International career
Born in England, Mpanzu is of Congolese descent. He was called up to represent the DR Congo national team for a pair of friendlies in June 2021. He debuted with the DR Congo in a 1–0 friendly loss to Tunisia on 5 June 2021.

Style of play
Mpanzu has been described as a "powerful" box-to-box midfielder with "endless energy". Mpanzu has stated that central midfield is his natural position, but that he is able to play as a centre-back.

Personal life
His cousin Peter Kioso is also a footballer; the two played together at Luton Town.

Honours
Luton Town
 * EFL Championship play-offs: 2023
 * EFL League One: 2018–19
 * EFL League Two runner-up: 2017–18
 * Conference Premier: 2013–14

Individual
 * Luton Town Player of the Season: 2019–20