Jack Wilshere admits he is worried about the severity of Jayden Luker’s hamstring injury but insists the highly-rated Luton Town youngster is firmly part of his plans for the future despite his professional debut ending in heartbreak
Luker was handed his first competitive start for the Hatters in Saturday’s 3-0 Carabao Cup first-round victory at Gillingham, alongside fellow academy graduate debutant Benny Benagr, after impressing during pre-season following a successful loan spell at Notts County last term.
But early in the second half, the 21-year-old chased a ball down the right and immediately pulled up before going to ground clutching his hamstring. He limped off the field and was replaced by summer signing Kasey Palmer, leaving Wilshere concerned about the extent of the injury.
“It’s probably the only disappointing thing because again he’s someone, his journey is a little bit different to Benny’s, but someone I was aware of last season,” Wilshere told the BBC.
“He’s got so many attributes I like in a midfielder and he keeps getting better and better. Again, someone who’s taken every opportunity, as I thought he was good today. He really understands how we want to play and how we can be successful within that, and he has quality.
“You saw the pass through to Nahki for Nahki just to hit first time and that’s not an easy thing to do when you give that much care on the pass. So he’s going to get all the love and all the support from us.
“When someone pulls up like that you always worry a little bit, however I made it clear to him and everyone that he is part of us. We want to keep him here, he is part of the future and we have to treat him like that, he’s going to get love and care from us.”
The injury came after he had already shown glimpses of his quality at Priestfield, most notably when he produced a superb pass to release Nahki Wells, who opened the scoring late in the first half.
Last term, Luker featured in the Notts County’s League Two play-off campaign and appeared at Wembley as they beat Salford City in the final. He had also scored in the semi-finals before returning to Kenilworth Road determined to make an impression on Wilshere.
That progress had already been recognised by his manager before the trip to Gillingham, with Wilshere making clear that Luker had given himself a genuine chance of breaking into Luton’s midfield.
Speaking on the even of the Carabao Cup game, and reflecting on the club’s summer business that included keeping influential midfielders Jordan Clark, Liam Walsh and Palmer, Wilshere said: “Jayden Luker’s also come into that. He’s come back in pre-season. He’s been outstanding. First of all, day to day of how he works, but also then when he’s been given the opportunity to get on the pitch, he’s been outstanding with that.
“I think I think Jayden’s quite an interesting one because people at the club made me aware when I first came here of Jayden, and I think he was injured for a little bit last season.
“Sometimes as well, I always believe this, that it’s not actually a bad thing for his development at that point, of where he’s at in his career because he has to then dig in, he has to create something else within himself and he’s certainly done that and fought his way back into into the Notts County team and played in the final there, scored in the semi-finals. So he’s played in big games and had big moments in big games.
“So, we were really aware of him. What I also quite liked about him was when he when he first came back here in pre-season, he made it clear to me that he wants to play.
“Of course, like any young player, I always believe that once you’ve experienced that, you then have to keep that going.
“So, That was always his challenge for this pre-season. The midfield, we’ve spoken about, he had to find a way of fighting into that and showing himself in every single training session. And then when you get given the opportunity, he’s certainly done that and someone who I’ve really enjoyed working with. I want to continue working with him, because I think there’s a lot more to come from.”
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