Former Hartlepool United defender signs for National League rivals
Former Hartlepool United defender Edon Pruti has signed for National League rivals Sutton.
The 23-year-old becomes Sutton's first signing of the summer following an impressive spell with National League South side Slough, featuring 16 times in the second half of the season.
Born in London to a Kosovan mother and Bosnian father, Pruti came through the ranks at Stevenage and then Burnley before dropping into non-league football, spending time at the likes of Hanwell Town and Loughborough University.
It was then that the towering centre-back first attracted the attention of Slough, signing for the Rebels in January 2022. His impressive form at Arbour Park caught the eye of Brentford, who signed him for their B team at the end of August.
Five months later, Pruti became one of 10 January signings for Pools in their bid to avoid relegation to the National League. The young defender made a decent start to life in the North East, impressing with his power and aerial prowess, making 23 appearances. However, Pruti was unable to prevent Pools from being relegated from League Two at the end of the campaign.
Pools extended Pruti's contact in May 2023 and there had been initial hopes he would play a big role under John Askey. Pruti started the first National League game of the new campaign, lining up on the left of a central-defensive three, but soon fell out of favour and lost his place in the side, making a further substitute appearance against Chesterfield at the end of August before being omitted from the squad altogether.
Left out in the cold and apparently eager to return down south, Pruti spent most of the 2023/24 season on loan at National League South side Farnborough. He earned a permanent deal in Hampshire and was a regular in Boro's side before returning to Slough in January.
Pruti signs for a Sutton side who finished 12th on their return to the National League, one place below Pools. He becomes manager Steve Morrison's first new arrival of the summer after the Us released six players earlier this month.
"It feels great," Pruti told Sutton's official club website.
"I'm absolutely delighted to get here; to get to this massive club and hopefully have a really strong season.
"The move came about relatively quickly; straight after the season finished, I heard about what was going on and I just wanted to get it done as quickly as possible."