{{Short description|English footballer}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Luke Plange | image = Luke_Plange.jpg | caption = Plange with HJK in 2024 | fullname = Luke Elliot Plange<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2470630 |title=Updated squad lists for 2021/22 Premier League |publisher=Premier League |date=4 February 2022 |access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|11|4|df=y}} | birth_place = Kingston upon Thames, England | height = 1.88m<ref>{{cite web |title=Luke Plange: Overview |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/49476/Luke-Plange/overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=27 December 2022}}</ref> | position = Forward | currentclub = Grasshopper Club Zurich | clubnumber = 7 | youthyears1 = 2008–2021 | youthclubs1 = Arsenal | youthyears2 = 2021 | youthclubs2 = Derby County | years1 = 2021–2022 | clubs1 = Derby County | caps1 = 8 | goals1 = 3 | years2 = 2022–2025 | clubs2 = Crystal Palace | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2022 | clubs3 = → Derby County (loan) | caps3 = 18 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2022–2023 | clubs4 = → RWD Molenbeek (loan) | caps4 = 14 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2023 | clubs5 = → Lincoln City (loan) | caps5 = 18 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2023–2024 | clubs6 = → Carlisle United (loan) | caps6 = 22 | goals6 = 2 | years7 = 2024 | clubs7 = → HJK (loan) | caps7 = 26 | goals7 = 6 | years8 = 2025 | clubs8 = → Motherwell (loan) | caps8 = 4 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2025– | clubs9 = Grasshopper | caps9 = 26 | goals9 = 9 | nationalyears1 = 2022 | nationalteam1 = England U20 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | club-update = 17 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = 10:51, 30 March 2022 (UTC) }} '''Luke Elliot Plange''' (born 4 November 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich.
==Club career== A youth product of Arsenal since the age of six,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/8976929.luke-plange-hopes-to-be-next-ronaldo-after-signing-for-arsenal-aged-eight/|title=Boy hopes to be next Ronaldo |website=Richmond and Twickenham Times}}</ref> Plange moved to Derby County on 21 March 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dailypost.ng/2021/03/21/epl-luke-plange-leaves-arsenal-ahead-of-west-ham-clash/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=EPL: Luke Plange leaves Arsenal ahead of West Ham clash|first=John Owen|last=Nwachukwu|date=March 21, 2021|newspaper=Daily Post}}</ref> He made his professional debut with Derby County on 4 December 2021, coming on as a half-time substitute in a 1–0 EFL Championship defeat against Bristol City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/12/04/england/championship/bristol-city-fc/derby-county-fc/3523334/|title=Bristol City vs. Derby County – 4 December 2021 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}}</ref>
On 31 January 2022, Plange signed for Crystal Palace and was loaned back to Derby for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crystal Palace sign Luke Plange |url=https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/announcement/crystal-palace-sign-luke-plange-from-derby-county/2022-01-31/ |publisher=Crystal Palace F.C.|access-date=31 January 2022 |date=31 January 2022}}</ref> In August 2022 he was loaned to Belgian club RWD Molenbeek, along with teammate Jake O'Brien, for the 2022–23 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luke Plange and Jake O'Brien join RWD Molenbeek on loan - News |url=https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/announcement/luke-plange-and-jake-obrien-join-rwd-molenbeek-on-loan/2022-08-26/ |access-date=2022-08-26 |website=Crystal Palace F.C. |language=en-GB}}</ref> On 30 January 2023, Crystal Palace recalled him from his loan at RWD Molenbeek and sent on loan to Lincoln City for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=City win race for Plange|url=https://www.weareimps.com/news/2023/january/city-win-race-for-plange/|access-date=30 January 2023 |publisher=Lincoln City FC |date=30 January 2023}}</ref>
On 1 August 2023, Plange joined Carlisle United on a half-season long loan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Palace forward swoops in|url=https://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/news/2023/august/loan-palace-forward-swoops-in/|access-date=1 August 2023 |publisher=Lincoln City FC |date=1 August 2023}}</ref> He returned to his parent club at the end of the loan deal in January 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/news/2024/january/club-striker-returns-to-parent-club/|title=CLUB: Striker returns to parent club|website=www.carlisleunited.co.uk|date=4 January 2024|accessdate=4 January 2024}}</ref>
On 15 March 2024, Plange joined Finnish Veikkausliiga club HJK Helsinki on loan until 1 January 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/announcement/luke-plange-joins-hjk-helsinki-loan|title=Luke Plange joins HJK Helsinki on loan|publisher=Crystal Palace F.C.|date=15 March 2024|accessdate=15 March 2024}}</ref> On 27 April 2024, Plange scored his first goal in the league, in a 1–1 away draw against Haka.<ref>[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000010390580.html HJK jäi tasapeliin klassikko-ottelussa – tähtihankinta osui vihdoin], Helsingin Sanomat, 27 April 2024</ref> On 7 June 2024, Plange scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 home win against SJK, after coming on as the 71st minute substitute to Anthony Olusanya.<ref>[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000010480289.html Luke Plange pelasti hattutempullaan pisteet Klubille SJK:ta vastaan – "Tämä tuntuu uskomattomalta"], Helsingin Sanomat, 7 June 2024</ref>
On 1 February 2025, Plange joined Scottish Premiership club Motherwell on loan until the end of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Club |first=Motherwell Football |last2=Gibson |first2=Scott |date=2025-02-01 |title=Luke Plange joins until end of season |url=https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2025/02/01/luke-plange-joins-until-end-of-season/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Motherwell Football Club |language=en}}</ref>
On 17 July 2025, he signed a three-year contract with Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Grasshopper Club Zurich|url=https://www.gcz.ch/news/artikel/17/luke-plange-unterschreibt-bei-gc-zuerich/|title=Luke Plange unterschreibt bei GC Zürich|date=17 July 2025|access-date=17 July 2025|language=de-ch}}</ref> He had already joined the Swiss record champions during pre-season and was able to impress in the test matches. Plange was selected to the starting lineup in the first game of the season and was able to score Grasshoppers' second goal after just 31 minutes,<ref>{{cite web |title=Super-League-Debütant Ferreira schiesst Luzern zum Sieg |url=https://www.srf.ch/sport/fussball/super-league/3-2-auswaertssieg-ueber-gc-super-league-debuetant-ferreira-schiesst-luzern-zum-sieg |publisher=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen |access-date=7 August 2025 |language=de-ch |date=26 July 2025}}</ref> in the 2–3 home defeat to FC Luzern. On 17 December 2025, he scored four goals in a 6–2 away victory against Young Boys, which included a flawless hat-trick between the 85th and 92nd minutes of the game.<ref>{{cite web |title=6:2! GC deckt YB-Abwehrschwächen schonungslos auf |url=https://www.srf.ch/sport/fussball/super-league/spektakel-im-wankdorf-6-2-gc-deckt-yb-abwehrschwaechen-schonungslos-auf |publisher=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen |access-date=18 December 2025 |language=de-ch |date=17 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=GC zerlegt YB im Wankdorf in seine Einzelteile |url=https://www.bluewin.ch/de/sport/super-league/wird-yb-seiner-favoritenrolle-gegen-gc-gerecht-3014066.html |publisher=bluewin |access-date=18 December 2025 |language=de-ch |date=17 December 2025}}</ref> With just seven minutes between his second and fourth goals, this was the second fastest hat-trick scored in the Swiss Super League.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kilin |first1=Cem |title=Plange und die Geschichte der lupenreinen Hattricks |url=https://sfl.ch/de/articles/plange-und-die-geschichte-der-lupenreinen-hattricks |publisher=Swiss Football League |access-date=18 December 2025 |language=de-ch |date=18 December 2025}}</ref>
==International career== On 25 March 2022, he made his England U20 debut in a 2–0 defeat to Poland in Bielsko-Biała.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2022/Mar/25/poland-england-mu20s-match-report-20222503|title=Report: Poland 2–0 England MU20s|website=englandfootball.com|accessdate=26 March 2022}}</ref>
==Personal life== Born in England, Plange is of Malaysian descent through a grandmother.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://makanbola.com/penyerang-warisan-berdarah-sarawak-jadi-bualan-di-epl/|title=Penyerang Warisan Berdarah Kelantan Jadi Bualan Di EPL|date=May 28, 2024}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|1 March 2026}}<ref>{{Soccerway|luke-plange/549732}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !rowspan="2"|Division !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, Belgian Cup, Finnish Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup and Finnish League Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Derby County |2021–22{{efn|name=loan|Part of this season was spent on loan from Crystal Palace}}<ref name="2021-22">{{Soccerbase season|id=134942|season=2021}}</ref> |Championship |26||4||1||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||27||4 |- |rowspan="3"|Crystal Palace |2021–22<ref name="2021-22"/> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0 |- |2022–23<ref name="2022-23">{{Soccerbase season|id=134942|season=2022}}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0 |- |2024–25<ref name="2024-25">{{Soccerbase season|id=134942|season=2024}}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||0||0
|- |RWD Molenbeek (loan) |2022–23<ref name="2022-23"/> |Challenger Pro League |14||2||2||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||16||2 |- |Lincoln City (loan) |2022–23<ref name="2022-23"/> |League One |18||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||18||0 |- |Carlisle United (loan) |2023–24<ref name="2023-24">{{Soccerbase season|id=134942|season=2023}}</ref> |League One |22||2||1||0||1||0||colspan=2|—||2{{efn|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}||0||26||2 |- |HJK Helsinki (loan) |2024 |Veikkausliiga |26||6||1||0||0||0||9{{efn|name=UCEL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League}}||1||colspan=2|—||36||7 |- |Motherwell (loan) |2024–25 |Scottish Premiership |4||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||4||0 |- |Grasshopper |2025–26 |Swiss Super League |23||9||3||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||26||9 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !133!!23!!8!!0!!1!!0!!9!!1!!2!!0!!143!!24 |} {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|luke-plange/549732}} * [https://www.dcfc.co.uk/teams/player/luke-plange DCFC Profile]
{{Grasshopper Club Zurich squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Plange, Luke}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Category:People from Kingston upon Thames Category:English men's footballers Category:England men's youth international footballers Category:English people of Malaysian descent Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Arsenal F.C. players Category:Derby County F.C. players Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players Category:RWDM Brussels players Category:Lincoln City F.C. players Category:Carlisle United F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Challenger Pro League players Category:English expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Finland Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:Motherwell F.C. players Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland Category:Swiss Super League players