Enock Mwepu: Brighton star forced to retire aged 24 after being diagnosed with heart issue

Brighton and Hove Albion have announced that Enock Mwepu will retire at the age of 24 after the midfielder was diagnosed with a hereditary heart condition.

In a statement, the club said the condition “would put Enock at an extremely high risk of a potentially fatal heart attack if he continued to play competitive football.”

The Zambian international, who made 27 appearances for Brighton after arriving at the Red Bull Salzburg club in July 2021 for around £18million, fell ill while on a flight to join his country during the international match period.

After spending some time in hospital in Mali, Mwepu returned to Brighton to undergo further tests, which picked up on the heart condition.

Brighton said Mwepu “has been advised that the only option, for his own safety, is for him to stop playing football”.

Mwepu said he hoped to continue his involvement in the sport after receiving the devastating news.

“A boy from a small Zambian township named Chambishi has news to share,” Mwepu wrote in a statement on social media.

He stood strong to follow his dream of playing at the highest level, and by the grace of God he has made his dream come true by reaching the Premier League.

“However, some dreams come to an end, so it is with sadness that I announce that I have to hang up my boots because of the medical advice I have been given.

“However, this is not the end of my involvement in football, I intend to stay involved in a way.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my football journey, including my wife and family, my agent 12MAN, the Zambian FA, all my previous clubs, teammates and coaches, and most importantly everyone at Brighton and Hove Albion.’

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi was among those who paid tribute to the player. “I’m so sorry for Enock,” he said.

“Before arriving I looked at the whole squad and he was a player that I was so excited and looking forward to working with. We’ll do everything we can to help him.’

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom added: ‘We are all devastated by Enock.

“He and his family have had a traumatic couple of weeks and while we are grateful that he got through that period, at such a young age he cut short such a promising career.”

Mwepu has made six Premier League appearances for Brighton this season, with his most recent appearance in the 5-2 win over Leicester on 4 September.

The 24-year-old has been missing from the roster for all of the Seagulls’ last four games since the recent international break.

Mwepu’s younger brother Francisco is also a professional footballer for Austria’s Sturm Graz.

More to follow.