_(cropped).jpg) Mpanzu withWest Ham United in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1994-03-22)22 March 1994 (age 31)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Hendon, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rotherham United (on loan fromLuton Town) | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2011 | Boreham Wood | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011 | Boreham Wood | 13 | (0) |
| 2011–2014 | West Ham United | 0 | (0) |
| 2013 | →Luton Town (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2014– | Luton Town | 358 | (23) |
| 2025– | →Rotherham United (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2021 | DR Congo | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 March 2025 (UTC) | |||
Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (born 22 March 1994) is a professionalfootballer who plays as acentral midfielder forRotherham United on loan fromEFL Championship clubLuton Town. Born in England, he played for theDR Congo national team twice in 2021.
He is the first footballer to climb from the non-league tiers of English football to thePremier League with the same club, having joined Luton in 2013.[3]
Born inHendon, Greater London, Mpanzu began his career with theyouth system atBoreham Wood and made 13first-team appearances.[4]
Mpanzu signed a two-and-a-half-year professional contract withChampionship clubWest Ham United on 5 December 2011 after a successfultrial.[5][6] He was a member of the West Ham team which won theCiutat de Barcelona Trophy againstEspanyol in September 2013.[7] Mpanzu made his first-team debut in a 2–0 win away toBurnley in theLeague Cup fourth round on 29 October 2013.[8][9] West Ham managerSam Allardyce said of his debut, "This was their big chance. Three players, all defenders, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu,Dan Potts andLeo Chambers, can feel very proud of themselves, what they've done."[10]
On 28 November 2013, Mpanzu signed forConference Premier clubLuton Town onloan until 4 January 2014.[11] He made his Luton debut in central defence two days later in a 0–0 draw withStaines Town in theFA Trophy,[12] and was namedman of the match in the replay, which Luton won 2–0, while playing in central midfield.[13] 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.[4][14] After impressing in his seven matches for Luton, managerJohn Still revealed that he was looking to bring Mpanzu back toKenilworth Road.[14] 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".[15] He scored his first goal for the club in a 7–0 win overHereford United on 15 February 2014,[16] before scoring his second two months later, a "scorching half-volley" in a 2–1 away win overDartford.[17] He finished2013–14 with 24 appearances and two goals,[4] as Luton won the Conference Premier title andpromotion toLeague Two.[18] Mpanzu said that his decision to leave West Ham and drop down the divisions had been "the right choice"[19] as he had a winner's medal to justify it.[19]
Mpanzu suffered numerous injuries, including a rarecalcification of the hamstring muscle,[20] over the course of2014–15 and made 18 appearances, of which only 10 were in thestarting lineup.[4] He scored one goal during the campaign; an injury-time equaliser in a 1–1 draw withBury.[21]
He remained fit for most of the2016–17 season, playing in 52 games in all competitions including both legs of the play-off semi-final, which Luton lost 6–5 onaggregate toBlackpool.[22] Mpanzu signed a new three-year contract with Luton on 3 August 2017, with the option of a further year.[23] In the following two seasons, he achieved two consecutive promotions with Luton to reach theChampionship.[24] In July 2021, he signed a new undisclosed-length deal to remain at the club.[25][26]
On 28 January 2023, he played his 350th match with the club in a 2–2 draw againstGrimsby Town in theFA Cup.[27] With Luton Town's promotion to thePremier League secured after winning the2023 EFL Championship play-off final againstCoventry City, he became the first player to go fromnon-league to thePremier League with the same club.[28] On 10 July 2023, he signed a new contract to extend his tenure at the club into the Premier League.[29]
On 3 February 2025, Mpanzu joined League One sideRotherham United on loan for the remainder of the season.[30]
Born in England, Mpanzu is of Congolese descent. He was called up to represent theDR Congo national team for a pair of friendlies in June 2021.[31] He debuted with the DR Congo in a 1–0 friendly loss toTunisia on 5 June 2021.[32]
Mpanzu has been described as a "powerful"[33] box-to-box midfielder with "endless energy".[34][35] Mpanzu has stated that central midfield is his natural position, but that he is able to play as a centre-back.[34]
His cousinPeter Kioso is also a footballer; the two played together at Luton Town.[36]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boreham Wood | 2011–12[4] | Conference South | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| West Ham United | 2011–12[37] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012–13[38] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14[9] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Luton Town | 2013–14[4] | National League | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2014–15[39] | League Two | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| 2015–16[40] | League Two | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2016–17[22] | League Two | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 52 | 2 | |
| 2017–18[41] | League Two | 28 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[d] | 0 | 36 | 2 | |
| 2018–19[42] | League One | 46 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 52 | 5 | |
| 2019–20[43] | Championship | 44 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 46 | 3 | ||
| 2020–21[44] | Championship | 44 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 46 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22[45] | Championship | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2022–23[46] | Championship | 30 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[e] | 0 | 37 | 3 | |
| 2023–24[47] | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25[48] | Championship | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 363 | 23 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 412 | 23 | ||
| Rotherham United (loan) | 2024–25[48] | League One | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 376 | 23 | 19 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 426 | 23 | ||
Luton Town
Individual
