Luton Town Football Club can confirm our retained and released list following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.
Leaving the Hatters at the end of his contract, after spending the second half of the season on loan at Rotherham, is our history-making midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu.
The DR Congo international departs as a Luton Town legend for his role in our rise from non-league to the Premier League over 11-and-a-half glorious years at Kenilworth Road since signing from West Ham as a teenager in 2013.
A further tribute to Pelly and his achievements will follow, but let the simple stats speak for themselves: the 31-year-old is the only man to win four promotions and play in five different divisions for the same club.
Over 412 appearances he ‘banged’ in 23 goals, earning him hero status inside Kenilworth Road. Thank you, Pell!
Jamaica international Amari’i Bell will also depart this summer, bringing to a close a memorable four-year spell at Kenilworth Road.
The 31-year-old arrived as a free agent after being released by Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2021, announcing himself with a rare goal in only his third game, the winner at Barnsley, and helping the Hatters to reach the Championship play-offs.
Having been successfully converted from a left-back to left-sided centre-back, he was a big part of the team that finished third and qualified for the play-offs again, culminating in the final at Wembley as the Hatters beat Coventry City on penalties to reach the Premier League.
Amari’i leaves the Hatters with 157 appearances and two goals to his name, and the thanks from everyone connected with Luton Town for the role he has played in our recent history.
First team squad players also departing include goalkeepers Tim Krul and Jameson Horlick and winger Victor Moses upon natural expiry of their contracts. Josh Bowler will return to his parent club, Nottingham Forest, after his short loan spell. Kal Naismith’s half-season loan comes to an end and also returns to his parent club, temporarily, to see out the remainder of his contract in Bristol.
We would like to thank Kal, Tim, Victor, Jameson and Josh immensely for their contribution to the Club this season and wish them well for their future careers.
Contract options for a further year have been triggered on the contracts of midfielder Liam Walsh and goalkeeper Jack Walton, who remains on loan at Dundee United until the end of the Scottish Premiership season.
Club captain Tom Lockyer is out of contract but will continue his rehabilitation at The Brache, completing his return to football programme after his recovery from ankle surgery.
The loan deals away from Bedfordshire for under-contract players, Cauley Woodrow, Tom Holmes, Jayden Luker and Aribim Pepple will expire at the end of June, with those four returning to Kenilworth Road. However, we say goodbye to returning loanee, Dion Pereira.
All other senior players remain under contract for next season. However, the Club are in ongoing discussions with individual players regarding their futures.
In our Under-21 squad, extended terms have been accepted by Claude Kayibanda and Jack Lorentzen-Jones, while discussions are ongoing with Joshua Phillips.
Jack Bateson, Dominic Dos Santos Martins, Tyrell Giwa and Axel Piesold have been released at the end of their contracts.
From the Under-18s, Sam Anderson, Zach Ioannides, Jamie Odegah, Oliver Pipa, Dylan Stitt, Lucas Thomas, Charlie Trustram and Tate Xavier-Jones have all accepted their offers of professional contracts.
Under-16s who have been offered first-year scholarships are Rufus Barnes, Excel Ed-Okungbowa, Nassim El Gourja, Finley Evans, Luca Knote-Reed, Jerome Passley-James and Luke Takawira with the addition of Dawid Gawel, who will join the Hatters as a scholar after leaving Everton.
Leaving the academy at the end of their scholarships are Charlie Emery, Isaiah Harvey, Cai Hockey and Matthew Takawira.
We thank all of the players who are leaving us for their service to the Club at all levels, and wish them the very best for their future careers.
