Luton Town have signed midfielder Marvelous Nakamba from Aston Villa on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
The 29-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with the Hatters and made 20 appearances.
The Zimbabwe international scored the third penalty in the shootout victory over Coventry in the Championship play-off final.
“I’m very excited to be back home at Luton to continue the journey,” Nakamba said.
“When I joined on loan, I felt love from everyone – the manager, the board, the staff, the players and the fans.
“I was welcomed as part of the family and that pushed me to give everything for this club and help achieve the goal we had last season, which we did.”
Nakamba signed for Aston Villa from Bruges in 2019 for £11m and made a total of 68 appearances for the club, but has not featured for Villa since the final game of the 2021-22 season.
Luton are preparing for their first campaign in the top flight in 31 years.
The club’s manager Rob Edwards said: “We – the supporters, the board, the staff and the players – all fell in love with Marv for what he gave us.
“Not just his work ethic, but his humility. He’s so unassuming; he just slotted in from day one and it felt like he had been at Luton for 10 years.
“I think he felt that love. Everyone felt that he enjoyed himself and that it felt like home for him. That’s why it is special because he felt it was right, he felt comfortable, at home – and now he is.
“As a footballer, he was the glue that knitted us together.”
