Luton Town have signed Andros Townsend until January with boss Rob Edwards hoping he can get some magic out of the experienced England international.
The 32-year-old has been training with the Hatters for over a week after the plug was pulled at the 11th hour on a deal to join Burnley, where he had been training all summer after his exit from Everton at the end of last term.
Townsend, who graduated through the Tottenham Hotspur academy and has made 264 appearances in the Premier League for Crystal Palace, Newcastle and the Toffees, revealed in a BBC interview that the collapse of the Clarets move had left him in tears.
But Luton have offered him a short-term contract and manager Edwards said: “Andros has undoubted Premier League quality, which he has shown in this league and on the international stage. Of course, he has had a difficult period with injury through no fault of his own – and we wouldn’t be able to sign him if he’d had played in the last 18 months.
“However, we’re in a position to help each other: he can come in and give everything, bring out those technical qualities to help us and we can give him a platform to show everyone what he’s all about.
“He adds more competition at the top end of the pitch – an area we know at this level you need to come out on top in that battle. He’s also got that bit of magic and hopefully we can get the most out of him.
“He’s been brilliant and his attitude has been phenomenal. He’s a humble, hard-working individual that we will benefit from having at the training ground on a weekly basis. Young players are going to look up to him and think ‘they are the standards I need to be at’. He’s been impeccable.
“On the playing side, we want him to affect what we’re doing but we’re not going to put pressure on him. We won’t ask for too much too soon. He’s fit, naturally fit. But then there’s being Premier League fit and being able to come on and affect games. So the next step will be a plan for that.
“But we’re delighted to have him. We hope he can make a positive impact – and we don’t see why he won’t.”
:Watch the discussion on Andros Townsend on the latest episode of the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast
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