Rob Edwards says he’s being well-backed in the transfer market by Luton’s board, but that the club is operating in a “difficult” window to do business in.
Town signed midfielder Shandon Baptiste and defender Reuell Walters early this summer, but have been thwarted in their efforts to add further new recruits.
Boss Edwards said at the start of pre-season that the club wouldn’t be doing loads of business, but with last term’s injury crisis still lingering and the departures of Ross Barkley and Gabriel Osho, plus the end of loans for Albert Sambi Lokonga and Issa Kabore, there is a need to strengthen.
Edwards remains confident of signing up to two more players before the transfer window shuts on August 30, but with the Championship curtain-raiser against Burnley on Monday, he may have to pick from the players he has.
The manager knows expectations from fans will be higher this season, while also having to balance that against players that will be returning from injury, with Edwards explaining that Amari’i Bell is the closest to a return, followed by Mads Andersen and Reece Burke.
“That’s the challenge we’ve got,” the 41-year-old said, adding: “I don’t go online or look for it, but you hear little bits and obviously people are always going to want, ‘where’s the signings, where’s this, where’s that?’
“We are working hard to bring in a couple, but I have to stress this. We don’t need loads. We did a lot of our work last season. And, clearly, we’ve got some really good players to come back and help us, so we will get stronger over these next few weeks, there’s just no doubt about that, with the return of these players. We will get one or two in, there’s no doubt about that either.”
Asked about the chances of a new recruit before the visit of Burnley on Monday night, Edwards said: “We’re working on it. I can’t promise anything. I know I’ve said over the last couple of games, ‘we’re hoping to get someone in, in the next week or two’.
“It’s difficult. I’m being really well backed, by the way. I’m not blaming anyone. We’re really trying hard but it’s a challenging window at the moment.”
Cardiff City defender Mark McGuinness has been linked with Luton, which has prompted a reported £10million asking price.
Edwards said: “I’m not going to talk about anyone else’s players now. I don’t want to get drawn on any of that, but I’ll reiterate it, we are working really hard to get not many, but a couple in. And as soon as possible.”
