Jack Wilshere believes new Luton Town loan signing Tudor Mendel can give the Hatters a different attacking threat after he made the youngster his fifth loan signing of the summer in a transfer deadline day swoop.
The 21-year-old Ipswich Town winger has become Luton’s eighth signing of the summer transfer window in total after agreeing an initial loan deal until January, with the Hatters holding the option to extend his stay beyond the midway point of the season.
Mendel made his senior Ipswich debut as a substitute in their Carabao Cup victory over Leicester last week, having previously spent time in the Chelsea academy before moving to Anderlecht in 2023.
But Wilshere has been aware of the winger for some time and believes he can add something different to his attack.
“I’ve known about Tudor from his time at Chelsea. When you’re in the academy world and a young player gets a move abroad, you’re aware of things like that,” Wilshere said.
“We knew he was a good player and kept an eye on him, and that was an area of the pitch I thought that we improved a lot last year, but we wanted to strengthen again with someone who gives us something a little bit different.
“Jake has obviously been playing there and does really well in that role, but I see him finishing more as a midfielder, and although we have competition for places, we lost Shayden for a while to injury. We wanted to add more of a direct threat, with real pace.”
Mendel is predominantly a right winger despite being left-footed, although Wilshere believes his versatility could prove useful.
“Tudor’s a right winger, but he can play on the left as well,” he told the club’s website. “He’s left-footed and a really intelligent player.
“He’s had a good education in the game, and when I spoke to him, you could tell straight away how driven he was to take the next step in his development.”
The winger joined Ipswich after leaving Chelsea, where he had been since the age of eight, spending the 2023/24 season with Anderlecht’s reserve side RSCA Futures in Belgium’s second tier.
He returned to English football following Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League in 2024 and has now made the move to Luton in search of regular first-team football.
Wilshere said: “He’s someone who we can help, but he can also help us and we have the opportunity to extend beyond January if he does well.”
Mendel, who has represented England at Under-15 and Under-17 level, revealed that Luton’s interest had first emerged during pre-season before accelerating after his Ipswich debut.
“I’m very happy to be here and I’m just looking ahead to that first game,” the winger said, adding: “I knew the interest from Luton began at the start of pre-season and I was still on the borderline between Under-21s and first team at Ipswich.
“It was good for me to get seen by the new manager at Ipswich, and he gave me a chance with the first team. Then in the past week after making my debut, the interest really grew.”
The opportunity to work under Wilshere was another major attraction for Mendel, who said he was excited by the style of football being developed at Kenilworth Road.
“I spoke to the gaffer here and was just really excited with the project they were sending my way,” he said.
“It means a lot when a club like Luton wants you. Then there is the added bonus of a manager like Jack Wilshere speaking to you and wanting you as well.
“I like the way they play. It’s a very attacking style, very possession based, so I think it’ll suit my game and if I apply myself correctly, I can contribute to what the team is doing here.”
Mendel could make his Hatters debut in tomorrow night’s League One clash against Stockport County.
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