Joe Johnson

Arsenal let Joe Johnson go in 2016, when he was ten. He had been in their academy since 2012, after starting out at Pro FA FC. The years that followed were spent at a grassroots side, Focus Football, until Luton Town took him on in 2020.

At Luton he came through the academy and signed his first professional contract in March 2023. The debut followed within weeks, in April 2023 against Middlesbrough in the Championship. He was the first Luton academy graduate to make a Championship debut in 15 years. He has not been sent out on loan, and has stayed at the club through spells in the Premier League, the Championship and League One.

Johnson is a left-footed defender who plays at left-back. His England youth career began in earnest with the Under-17s, who reached the semi-finals of the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. He made one appearance there, starting the 2–1 win over Iran. He has since won five caps at Under-18 level as well as appearances for the Under-19s.

In May 2025 he was named in the England Under-19 squad for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Romania. He came on as a substitute in the opening match, a 2–2 draw with Norway.