The 3 Luton Town players set to become free agents next year.
It has been an incredibly disappointing start to life back in the Championship for Luton Town.
Luton were widely expected to be among the promotion contenders in the Championship this season after their relegation from the Premier League, but it has been a poor start to the campaign for Rob Edwards’ side.
The Hatters have won just two of their opening nine league games of the season, and they head into the October international break sitting 21st in the table, one point above the relegation zone.
Luton were not as active in the transfer market this summer as some had predicted they would be, but they did still bring in seven new additions, including signing defender Mark McGuinness from Cardiff City in a deal that could be worth up to £10 million.
The Hatters lost the likes of Ross Barkley and Chiedozie Ogbene during the summer window, but they managed to keep hold of most of their key players, and their negotiating position was no doubt helped by the fact that many of their stars signed new contracts at the club following promotion in 2023.
Wing-back Alfie Doughty became the latest player to commit his future to the club when he signed a new long-term deal last month, but there are still a few players who have entered the final year of their contracts, and we looked at who will be leaving Kenilworth Road next summer as things stand.
James Shea
james shea
Goalkeeper James Shea joined Luton on a free transfer in July 2017 following his release by AFC Wimbledon, and the club activated their option to extend his contract for a further year this summer.
Shea helped the Hatters to promotion from League Two in his first season at the club, and he played a crucial role in League One the following year as his side achieved back-to-back promotions, keeping an impressive 22 clean sheets in 46 appearances.
The 34-year-old lost his place in the Championship in the 2019-20 season, and he has been unable to force his way back into the team, but he has remained an important part of the squad in recent years.
Shea received a standing ovation from the Kenilworth Road crowd when he came on to make his Premier League debut as a late substitute against Fulham on the final day of last season, underlining how highly he is regarded by Luton supporters.
It seems unlikely that Shea will receive many minutes this season, but he is a reliable back-up to Thomas Kaminski, as he proved when he filled in for the Belgian while he served a suspension following his sending off against Portsmouth in August.
Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu
Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 1
Shea has been an important part of Luton’s rise up the leagues, but midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s time at Kenilworth Road has been even more remarkable.
Mpanzu initially joined the Hatters on loan from West Ham United in November 2013 before making the move permanent in January 2014, and he surely cannot have anticipated the journey he would go on with the club over the next decade.
Luton were in the National League at the time of Mpanzu’s arrival, and after helping his side to promotion to the Premier League in 2023, he became the first player to go from non-league to the top flight with the same club.
Mpanzu has scored 23 goals and provided 34 assists in 403 games for the Hatters, but he has struggled for game time this season, with all of his four appearances so far coming from the bench.
It remains to be seen whether Edwards will give Mpanzu a chance over the next few months, but if he is unable to break into the team, his incredible story at the club could be set to come to an end next summer.
