Izzy Brown is recovering ahead of schedule and could be ready to return in a fortnight, rather than the original diagnosis of February.
Manager Graeme Jones saw his Luton side battle valiantly against Premier League Bournemouth but crash out of the FA Cup third round, on the end of a harsh 4-0 reverse.
it leaves Luton with just their Championship survival to focus on and a week to prepare for the visitors of Birmingham City as they bid to haul themselves off the foot of the table.
After making nine changes against the Cherries and seeing some positive performances, particularly from debutant Donervon Daniels Jones. He stills wants to recruit during this transfer window but he admitted that getting his injured players fit again is just as important, with Brown and Dan Potts close to a return.
Chelsea loan star Brown damaged his hamstring in the 7-0 defeat at Brentford and was originally thought to be out for two months.
Jones said: “The medical staff have worked really, really hard with him. Izzy’s committed. We’ve kept him at Luton, little bits at Chelsea and he’s totally committed to becoming robust, working hard in the gym, getting himself strong again and there’s only us that can benefit from that.
“But we have to get everybody fit as soon as we can.
“Izzy Brown is very close. Dan Potts is very close but obviously they haven’t played minutes. It’ll probably be two weeks tomorrow, at Nottingham Forest, before they’re up and running to a level that you think they can compete and give some minutes on the pitch.”
However, Town suffered a triple blow as Martin Cranie got injured in the week, Callum McManaman has picked up a hamstring problem and Kazenga LuaLua pulled up during he warm-up at Bournemouth.
Jones said: “We lost Martin Cranie at the weekend. He will be touch and go for next Saturday, so he couldn’t play tonight. Callum is touch and go. He’s felt his hamstring.”
But despite some positive performances against Bournemouth from Luton’s fringe players, Jones said it doesn’t negate the need to add new faces this month.
“I think we need players through the door,” he said, adding: “I’ve never hid that and I think everybody in football can see that. What I need to do is try to get some (players) in, but I need to try to get everybody fit for next weekend because we’ve got some good players.
“When Dan, Izzy and Martin were playing, we had enough on the pitch to win football matches. It has been a little bit difficult since those injuries took place. “Tonight we’ve added two or three (returning players) and we need to add two or three now, hopefully, through wheeling and dealing in the transfer market.
“We need to stick together which is not easy when you’re bottom of the Championship, keep a level head, target games and see how many points we can accumulate.”
