Rob Edwards has warned that rival clubs can’t “take the mick” in hope of snagging a late Luton bargain on the cheap in the transfer market.
Despite the rumour mill going in to overdrive in the penultimate few days of the window, Town are not in a position where they have to sell any players and the manager today confirmed no “live bids” have been made for any of his Hatters
The Hatters are in receipt of Premier League parachute payments, plus they made huge profit on the £5million sale of Ross Barkley to Aston Villa and yesterday’s £8million sale of Chiedozie Ogebene to Ipswich.
Both players arrived last summer as free agents so didn’t cost Town in transfer fees and this summer they’ve signed Reuell Walters and Shandon Baptiste in the same fashion.
But with the window due to shut tomorrow night, reports from Italy have emerged linking Teden Mengi to a Torino transfer.
Despite all the speculation, Edwards expects the defender to be in the squad for tomorrow night’s Championship visit of QPR, while maintaining the club’s stance that, while they are working on adding more new recruits, they do not have to sell players.
“That’s been the message as well to one or two at the moment,” Edwards said, adding: “It can get to a stage where it’s too late and you just can’t replace someone. It’s got to be a certain level, and just because we’re Luton, people can’t take the mick and try to get them on the cheap. It’s just not the case.
“There’s a certain level of our players now, and clubs need to respect that as well. You can see with fees that some players from Championship clubs, or maybe one or two of the relegated clubs, who were sold and what they’ve gone for.”
Comparatively, as well as tempting Ogbene away from Luton, newly promoted Premier League side Ipswich have signed Burnley centre half Dara O’Shea for a fee worth up to £15million and Jacob Greaves from Hull City for an initial £15million, all as part of a 12-man shopping spree this summer.
“Me personally, I think a lot of our lads have done equally as well and that’s where the fees should be at,” said Edwards.
“Just because we’re Luton it’s strange, but in a way, it’s good for me because then we keep a really strong group together.”
In terms of the speculation around Mengi, reports from Italy have claimed that negotiations are under way and personal terms have been agreed on a potential loan deal with an option to buy for €5-6million.
But with Edwards saying no bids have been tabled for any of his players, the discussion of personal terms would not be sanctioned.
“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen,” the manager said, adding: “But then sometimes it can just be an agent filling their head with nonsense or just numbers. It can be that, I’m not saying that’s happened here, but it can be that.
“So, there’s all kinds of different things that can happen that maybe shouldn’t, but they do.
“There will be some truth that’s out there, of course, but there’s a lot of stuff that gets talked about, rumours and nonsense that just isn’t true.
“You can imagine then, try and put yourself in a players situation and you’re hearing that kind of stuff. It can mess with your head.”
Edwards is hopeful of fending off late bids, while the club’s recruitment team work on strengthening the squad before Friday night’s deadline.
“We’re in a really strong place because the club’s run so well,” said Edwards, who last week bought Mark McGuinnes from Cardiff City, signed free agent former Swansea midfielder Liam Walsh and sealed a loan deal for German Tom Krauß from Bundesliga side Mainz 05.
“There’s always going to be a demand on improvements, new recruits and new people, but we did say this before, we did a lot of really good work last year as well.
“We’ve brought a lot of really good bodies in this summer and we still might not be done. The club’s in a healthy position, financially.
“Then I look at the squad and the people that we’ve got back available, fitness-wise, and the people we’ve got in, we’re in a healthy position.”
