Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu has agreed terms to stay at Luton Town for a ninth year, signing an undisclosed length contract, the club announced yesterday.

The 27-year-old's journey at Kenilworth Road continues despite interest from other suitors with the dynamic midfielder happy to get the deal done.

He said: "I have a special relationship with the supporters here as we’ve been on a journey together right from the Conference, and I couldn’t leave without experiencing a packed Kenny again.

“I can’t wait to get back into the swing of things. It’ll be so good to be back among the lads and hopefully together we can go on to make so many more memories.”

The Hatters have been busy in the transfer market with eight additions already, manager Nathan Jones was delighted Mpanzu eventually chose to stay.

The gaffer explained: "We are delighted to get it done. Pelly was out of contract, so it was his prerogative to test the water and see what was out there. It’s taken a little bit longer than we would have liked, but the process was thorough on their part, and he knew all along that we wanted to keep him.

“He had a fantastic season and he’s only going to get better. He sees that and we are delighted to get him done because he’s an important player for us."

The Democratic Republic of Congo international has honed his skill set at Luton in a variety of positions, but now with bags of experience for his age, approaching 300 appearances for the club at just 27, is one of the most accomplished holding midfield players in the Championship.

With the exciting additions around him the Hatters are looking good to improve on their 12th placed finish in 2020/21.

The Verdict

Mpanzu is a real asset to Luton Town and therefore his retention is a huge plus for the club. The question marks over the length of the contract are slightly surprising but it is the club's decision whether to release that information.

Henri Lansbury and Allan Campbell will be competing for a first team spot with him this term; the Hatters are assembling their most complete squad at second tier level and one that is ready to spring a few surprises next season.

They are starting to feel a bit like the next Barnsley.