Jack Wilshere has confirmed Hakeem Odoffin will be out for several weeks with a muscle strain, potentially opening the door for Teden Mengi to force his way back into the Luton Town squad.
Mengi has yet to feature for the Hatters this season after an interrupted pre-season, but Wilshere says the defender is getting closer to being ready after completing a run of consecutive training days.
Odoffin’s absence presents an opportunity for Mengi to stake his claim, with the Town boss confirming there is now a place available while praising the progress the former Manchester United centre-back has made in recent weeks.
“Unfortunately, he’ll be out for a few weeks,” Wilshere said of Odoffin how came off in the first half of Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Barnsley, adding: “He picked up a muscle strain, which is frustrating. Frustrating for him, but really frustrating for me as well because Haks is the kind of player that you find a way to get into the team because of what it gives you, energy-wise.
“How good he is in duels, the leader that he is and we will be without him for a while, which is tough, but also gives someone else an opportunity to come into the team and make that place theirs.”
Asked whether the injury could create an opportunity for Mengi, Wilshere said: “It definitely opens up a spot for Teds. Teds is, he’s probably not in Shandon’s [Baptiste] position. He’s closer than Shandon. He had a an interrupted pre-season, I would say.
“Then the focus for him was was to complete some weeks of training, consecutive weeks, five days on, which he’s come through. He’s trained really well, and he’s closer than Shandon and there’s obviously a spot that opens up.
“When the transfer window shut, I spoke to him. We had a conversation, a good conversation. I’ve got a good relationship with Teds, where he’s here now and he wants the opportunity to play and it was clear what he had to do to do that, and he’s doing that and nearly done that. So, he’s closer.”
Midfielder Baptiste hasn’t played a game since August 2025 and has faced a long recovery from a cruciate ligament tear.
“Shandon’s getting close,” Wilshere said of the midfielder who hasn’t played under him yet, adding: “He’s getting better and better day by day in training. He’s now trained for a good block. He’s probably three or four weeks where he’s got better and better each time he’s done a few 11-v-11s, but not long enough to be included yet.
“He probably needs another [under] 21s game first and when you’ve been out for that long, that’s just the natural way that it has to be, I think. But, yeah, he’s someone who is looking good and hopefully it won’t be too long.”
Asked whether Baptiste could be back before the end of the year, Wilshere added: “I hope so. I hope so. He’s he has to come through a few more tests yet. [He’ll need] probably a couple of 21s game, then be on the bench, get on the pitch that way and come through that. But yeah, I’ve got my fingers crossed for him.”
Wilshere also confirmed right back Harrison Ashby remains unavailable for Saturday’s home match against Leicester City, although he could return for Tuesday’s fixture, also at home to Doncaster Rovers.
“[Leicester] probably comes too soon, maybe Tuesday, but let’s see,” Wilshere said of the Newcastle loanee, adding: “He picked up a little injury doing a cross before MK Dons, which we thought might be a couple of days. [It’s] a little bit longer, but shouldn’t be that bad.”
There was more encouraging news on the recovery of Shayden Morris – who posted a photo online of himself training this week – Benny Benagr and Jayden Luker, with all three taking part in the opening stages of training as they approach the end of their rehabilitation from hamstring injuries.
Wilshere then provided an update on the progress of Benagr, Luker and Morris, saying: “I think I called them the hamstring gang before. They’re coming towards the end of their rehab, I would say. Again, they’ve still got things that need to tick off. They joined in and training. All three of them were in the first part of training today, which is nice.
“We need competition for places. We need the ability to have a different threat, whether that be in midfield with Jayden, whether that be on the wings, with Shayden and Benny. So yeah, they’re getting closer which is which is really positive.”
Sverre Sandal is at an earlier stage of his recovery from a knee operations, having recently returned from Norway, where he was allowed to return to spend time with family and worked with a physiotherapist he knew from his homeland.
Wilshere said the break had helped the midfielder mentally and that he is now back in Luton and beginning a strength-training phase, although he remained some way from a return.
“We gave him some time where he could go back to Norway,” Wilshere said, adding: “He’s come back in the last few days. He’s smiling, he’s happy, he’s on the next stage of his his rehab, which is a block of strength work where we have to see how his knee responds to it. Everything’s going how we think it should. He’s not close, but he’s still on track.”
Wilshere also indicated that the schedule would influence his selection against Leicester, with Luton facing another midweek fixture after Saturday’s match.
“I think since Tuesday, Wednesday was [a day] off. Yesterday we were in here [The Brache], we were reviewing the game, some players came out to train, some stayed in for an extra day of recovery, and then everyone was out on the grass today.
“So, we’ll see after this [press conference], when I meet with the medical team and the performance team – [to see] who’s fresh, who is probably not so fresh, but has to go again. We’ll have those conversations later, but everyone, apart from Haks, from the other night, is available and one of the things that is going into my mind is freshness. Let’s see.”
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