Reuell Joshua Walters (born 16 December 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back for EFL League One club Luton Town.
.jpg) Walters in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Reuell Joshua Walters[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 16 December 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Lambeth, England[2] | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[3] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Luton Town | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2013 | Peckham Town | ||
| 2013–2015 | Unique FA | ||
| 2015–2019 | Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| 2020–2023 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2024 | Arsenal | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | Luton Town | 18 | (0) |
| 2026 | → Blackpool (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021–2022 | England U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2023 | England U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2024 | England U20 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 08:46, 4 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22:23, 25 September 2024 (UTC) | |||
Having started his career in Arsenal's academy, he joined Luton in 2024. He had a loan spell at Blackpool in early 2026.
Early life and youth career
editWalters was born in Lambeth, South London to father Raphael and mother Aisha, a former British gymnastics champion. He grew up in Streatham.[3]
Having briefly played for a Brazilian soccer school in London until its closure, Walters had a spell with Peckham Town at the age of seven.[3] He went on to spend two seasons with Unique FA, before being recommended to trial with both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur by Unique FA founder Jamie Waller.[3]
He was offered a deal by both, and Walters joined the Tottenham Hotspur academy in March 2015 at the age of ten, with his family moving to Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. After a bright start for Spurs, playing in older age groups as he progressed, he eventually lost interest in football, with his father saying that he felt "lost" at the time.[3] After four years at the club, he played his last game in March 2019, with his deal ending in June of the same year.[3]
Following the expiration of his contract with Tottenham Hotspur, he was offered a deal by a number of professional sides, including Manchester United, who offered him a schoolboy contract.[3] Walters agreed to join Manchester United, rejecting rivals Manchester City in the process. However, the Premier League declined Walters' registration as United had already met their quota, as departing players were still registered at the time.[3]
Following his collapsed move to Manchester United, a trial period was arranged with Charlton Athletic, but following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this did not come to fruition.[3] During this time, he trained on a 1-to-1 basis with Saul Isaksson-Hurst, a footballing consultant who had organised his trial with Manchester United.[3] Isaksson-Hurst would invite Lee Heron, the head of youth development at Arsenal – the club Walters had supported since he was a child – to watch him train. He was invited to a trial with Arsenal in August 2020.[3]
Club career
editArsenal
editFollowing an investigation by the Premier League, to ensure he had not been tapped up, Walters joined Arsenal as an under-16 on 19 October 2020.[2] He was called to the Under-21s team by then coach Kevin Betsy in the 2021–22 season as an inverting and overlapping full-back/wing-back.[3] He signed his first professional contract with the club in February 2022.[6]
In July 2022, Walters was one of five academy players to travel with the first team to Germany for a mini training camp at the Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach,[7] and started as a right-sided centre-back in the friendly to 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Nürnberg on 8 July.[8] In the same month he was the only academy player taken to the U.S. tour,[9] where he made a substitute appearance at left-back against Premier League side Everton on 16 July.[4][10] In the 2022–23 season, he played left-sided centre-back in Arsenal's Under-18s FA Youth Cup run coached by Jack Wilshere.[3]
Walters appeared multiple times as an unused substitute for the Arsenal first team from March 2023 onwards, with the first being in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 match away to Sporting CP at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal on 9 March.[11][12]
Luton Town
editAfter turning down a extension for Arsenal, Walters signed for EFL Championship side Luton Town following the expiry of his contract on 11 July 2024.[13] On 12 August, he made his debut for the club in a 4–1 loss against Burnley in the league.[14] He went on to make 16 appearances in his first season at the club.
He made two league starts in the 2025–26 season before suffering a groin injury, ruling him out for three weeks. After struggling to regain his place in the first-team under his former Arsenal boss Jack Wilshere, Walters was sent out on loan for the remainder of the season.
Loan to Blackpool
editOn 2 February 2026, Walters joined fellow League One club Blackpool on loan for the remainder of the season.[15] He made 16 appearances during his three months at the club, as well as scoring the first senior goal of his career.
International career
editWalters is eligible to represent England, Germany and Jamaica at international level.[3]
Having been previously called up to the England Under-18s, Walters made his Under-19s debut on 22 March 2023 during a 1–0 win over Hungary at the Bescot Stadium during their 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifier.[16]
On 26 March 2024, Walters made his England Under-20s debut during a 3–1 win away to Czechia.[17]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 2 May 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal U21 | 2021–22[18] | — | — | — | — | 4[a] | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23[19] | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24[20] | — | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |||||
| Arsenal | 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Luton Town | 2024–25[21] | Championship | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |
| 2025–26[22] | League One | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Blackpool (loan) | 2025–26[22] | League One | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Career total | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 48 | 1 | ||
- 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
References
edit- ↑ "2022/23 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- 1 2 "Reuell Walters". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 de Roché, Art (14 April 2023). "Reuell Walters: From Tottenham to Manchester United to Arsenal… via Fortnite". The Athletic. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- 1 2 Jonty Colman (17 July 2022). "Who is Reuell Walters? Arsenal youngster made starring cameo against Everton". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ↑ Aniket Rai (19 March 2023). "Who is Reuell Walters? Arsenal call up young defender after William Saliba's injury". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ↑ Gilbert, Samuel (22 February 2022). "Reuell Walters signs first professional contract". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ↑ Gilbert, Samuel (8 July 2022). "Find out about our young Gunners in Germany". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ↑ James, Josh (8 July 2022). "Match report: 1. FC Nurnberg 3-5 Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ↑ James, Josh (13 July 2022). "Squad named for US tou". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ↑ James, Josh (17 July 2022). "Match report: Arsenal 2-0 Everton". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ↑ "Sporting CP-Arsenal | UEFA Europa League 2022/23". UEFA. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ↑ Johnston, Neil (9 March 2023). "Sporting Lisbon 2-2 Arsenal: Gunners secure hard-earned draw in Portugal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ↑ "Gabriel Osho: Defender joins Auxerre but Luton sign Reuell Walters". BBC Sport. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ↑ "Luton Town 1-4 Burnley: Scott Parker gets off to winning start as Clarets show promotion credential". Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ↑ "Reuell Walters Joins The Pool On Loan". Blackpool FC. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ↑ Swoffer, Chris (22 March 2023). "Report: England MU19s 1-0 Hungary". England Football. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ↑ Royle, Lewis (26 March 2024). "Report: Report: Czechia 1-3 England Elite League squad". England Football. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ↑ "Games played by Reuell Walters in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ↑ "Games played by Reuell Walters in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ↑ "Games played by Reuell Walters in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ↑ "Games played by Reuell Walters in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- 1 2 "Reuell Walters | Football Stats | Luton Town | Season 2025/2026 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
External links
edit- Reuell Walters at Soccerway