Luton Town have signed Barnsley’s Danish defender Mads Andersen for an undisclosed fee, reported in his homeland to be the club’s record, surpassing the £1.3million also paid to the Tykes last summer for striker Carlton Morris.
That would make the 25-year-old the second Dane that Town have broken their transfer record for after the £850,000 spent on Lars Elstrup in 1989, when the club were last in the top flight.
The centre half becomes Town’s second signing of the Premier League era after Chiedozie Ogbene joined from Rotherham.
Luton manager Rob Edwards said: “I’m really pleased to get Mads on board. He has been on our recruitment team’s list for a long time now. We watched a lot of him last season and he’s performed really well and consistently for a prolonged period in English football.
“He’s someone who can play anywhere across that back three for us. He’s a real good defender, someone who loves defending, and we like ours to be able to do that. But he can play, and there is room to grow, like with anyone we want to bring in and sign.
“He’s going to bring real good quality and competition into that position, with us obviously losing Sonny Bradley this summer, but the position we see Amari’i Bell in now, Mads’ arrival gives us real quality and competition in that area.
“He’s a really good person, when I spoke to him, it was clear that he’s so ambitious to play in the Premier League and very driven and determined to get into his national team, but first and foremost, he’s determined to get into our team, to play and be consistent.
“We’ve got high hopes for Mads and are really pleased to get the deal done.”
Andersen completed his medical almost two weeks ago and will join up with his new team-mates on Thursday for the start of pre-season ahead of Town’s first-ever Premier League campaign.
Speaking of getting the deal done, the defender said: “(It’s) difficult to describe, I would say, loads of feelings in my body right now, but obviously it’s a dream coming true, so I’m very excited to be here, looking forward to it, people are amazing, the facilities are amazing, so I’m very delighted.
“I’m genuinely proud of myself, proud of the people around me and it’s a big moment for me.
“It wasn’t really difficult, I had a talk to the manager, and already I had a good feeling, and then I just reach out to a couple of players I know here, and to be honest to you I haven’t heard one bad thing about Luton, everything is positive, I came here last week to see all the things and I was so surprised, so I’m really looking forward to it, to compete at the highest level possible.
“Good group of lads, so I’ll just try to get in the group as quickly as possible, to get to know everyone and I think that will be a good start.”
Andersen has Championship experience with Barnsley who he joined in 2019 from Danish Side Horsens, having begun his career at Brondby. But last term he was playing in League Two where he was named the Tykes players of the season and included in the division’s team of the season.
“Yes, it was a good season for me, a tough season as well,” said Andersen, adding: ” “I wasn’t expecting to play League One, but know when I look back at it, I’ve learned so much in League One and I would never take that year away from anything. That was perfect for me and then I’m just happy to get these rewards, it’s just something top of the iceberg, so I was very happy with that.”
Speaking of the step up to the Premier League, the defender said: “It’s going to be a big challenge, but I love a big challenge, I’m ready for it and I’m going to give everything I have from day one, just as much as I have, I’ll give, so that’s my mindset towards it.”
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