Opinion: Quality over quantity – a Luton Town transfer wish list now that the window has opened

The summer transfer window opens today and you get the feeling that it could be a busy one at Kenilworth Road with plenty of players still expected to leave and some arriving to replace them. 

The window got off to an excellent start prior to it opening with the addition of George Johnston, adding quality in a position where the depth chart wasn’t as strong as required, given the injury prone nature of one or two in the heart of the defence. 

Financial restrictions are going to play a part in the coming months so the more we can raise from player sales the better as that can fund the incomings that Jack Wilshere requires, and if the reports that he has turned down the job at Leicester are true, that he deserves. 

The attention will quickly turn to what Town need and therefore here is my wish list. 

I doubt I’m alone in hoping that one of the first signings brought in this summer is a certain Kasey Palmer, the man who lit the touch paper to that incredible run of form from early March onwards. Were he to return to LU4 we would have a midfield that could rival anything in the third tier. 

Emilio Lawrence was also a key player towards the end of last term and he will need to be replaced, if we assume that his star his such that more time in League 1 is no use to his development, from a Manchester City perspective. Whether Ethon Archer is the man to do that remains to be seen, after his loan spell with Port Vale, but with Cohen Bramall having already been released, another body in that area would be nice. 

If we go with the school of thought that Johnston adds depth to the left side of defence, another option at right-back would be useful. Jack declared that Izzy Jones was his man there last season, while Christian Chigozie could be set for a breakthrough season in support but given the demands on full-backs these days another would be nice. 

Finally, a mobile striker who can run in behind and stretch teams to allow the space for the likes of Clark, Jake Richards, hopefully Palmer et al to do their thing would be nice too. 

Above anything though, I hope we bring in quality over quantity, that this is the summer where injury prone players are sent elsewhere and that players who are robust, that we can rely on to play 35 games or more, come into the building. 

The purse strings are rightly going to be protected but if we can add quality to those three positions, quality regarding ability rather than necessarily the transfer fee, and bring Palmer home, that would be a window which would set us up for a strong tilt at promotion in the upcoming season. Anything else above that would be a welcome bonus!