England youth star and ex-Premier League player makes transfer to Welsh league aged 27

Welsh club Penybont have announced the signing of former England youth international Jonathan Leko.

The winger has joined the Cymru Premier side on a free transfer from MK Dons.

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Leko made 17 appearances in League Two last season during his third campaign with the Dons.

The 27-year-old was part of the side which won promotion under Paul Warne.

Leko joins Penybont

He could now line-up to face Flint Town United for Bont on Friday night.

Penybont are currently third in the Welsh top-flight after four matches of the season.

They have made an unbeaten start with three wins and a draw so far in the league.

It follows a brief Conference League campaign, which ended in a 4-0 aggregate defeat to FC Santa Coloma of Andorra.

Their home leg in the tie was played at the home of Championship outfit Cardiff City, which holds 33,280 fans.

However, Leko will instead turn out in front of just 1,200 supporters when the DragonBet Stadium is at full capacity following his latest move.

The club had qualified for Europe this season after winning the Cymru Premier’s Conference League play-off last term.

It followed a sixth place finish in the regular season before Bont secured only their third-ever continental campaign.

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Since being founded in 2013, they have reached on Welsh Cup final alongside a record-high second place league finish in 2024/25.

Leko’s career so far

Penybont have become the seventh club of the forward’s playing days.

He began his career in West Brom’s academy back in 2010 aged 11.

Leko went on to make 23 first-team appearances for the Baggies, with 14 of those coming in the Premier League.

After scoring one senior goal for his boyhood club, he was sold to Birmingham City in 2020 following loan spells with Bristol City and Charlton.

He has since had further loan stints at the Addicks and Burton Albion, either side of his move to MK Dons.

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At international level, Leko represented the Three Lions from Under-16 level up to the Under-20s.

His England career saw him help the Young Lions qualify for the 2016 Under-17 Euros.

Leko was prevented from featuring at the finals, though, after West Brom pulled him out of the squad to feature in the Premier League.

It came after he had made his top-flight debut against Sunderland as a 16-year-old in April 2016.