Michael Luyambula

Michael Ngemba Luyambula (born 8 June 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League North club A.F.C. Telford United, on loan from Birmingham City of the Championship.

Born in Germany, Luyambula came through Borussia Dortmund's youth system but was released without playing for the club's first team. He joined English second-tier club Birmingham City in 2018. He spent time on loan to Hungerford Town of the National League South in 2018–19 and to League Two club Crawley Town in 2019–20, during which he played in the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.

Luyambula was named in a long list for the DR Congo under-20 team in 2018, and was called up to the senior squad's training camp in June 2017.

Early life and club career

Luyambula was born in Neumünster, Germany. He came through Borussia Dortmund's youth system and was an unused substitute for Borussia Dortmund II in a couple of Regionalliga matches in 2018, but was released without playing for the club's first team.

Birmingham City

Luyambula joined English Championship club Birmingham City on trial, and signed a short-term contract in August 2018. In compliance with transfer restrictions imposed on the club by the English Football League, he could play only for Birmingham's under-23 team, for which he made 12 appearances in the first half of the 2018–19 season.

Hungerford Town

He also spent three weeks on loan to Hungerford Town of the sixth-tier National League South in October, during which he made his senior debut in their FA Cup third qualifying round defeat by Wealdstone. In mid-December, he returned to Hungerford on loan for an initial month, and after the EFL gave their permission for his Birmingham contract to be extended to the end of the season, the loan was likewise extended. Luyumbula was the regular goalkeeper during the second half of Hungerford's season. He made 20 league appearances and helped his team avoid relegation in the final fixture.

Crawley Town

After Luyambula signed a one-year contract with Birmingham, he joined League Two (fourth-tier) club Crawley Town on loan for the 2019–20 season. Crawley manager Gabriele Cioffi hoped he would "put pressure on" established first-team goalkeeper Glenn Morris. Luyambula made his first competitive appearance for Crawley in the starting eleven for the EFL Cup first-round match away to Walsall on 13 August 2019; his team won 3–2. He kept his place for the next rounds of the competition, "punching and catching everything Norwich flung into his six-yard area" and keeping a clean sheet as Crawley beat the Premier League team, and then facing a penalty shoot-out to eliminate Stoke City. He also appeared in the EFL Trophy, but made no league appearances, and was recalled by his parent club in January 2020 with the intention of finding first-team football for him.

A.F.C. Telford United

Luyambula signed for A.F.C. Telford United of the National League North on 30 January 2020 on loan until 16 May.

Luyambula was named in a 58-man long list for the DR Congo under-20 team in 2018, and was called up to the senior squad's training camp in June 2017.

As of match played 8 February 2020