Luton Town have smashed through the £1million transfer barrier for the first time in their history by splashing out over €1.5million £1.3m) to sign Croatian International goalkeeper Simon Sluga from HNK Rijeka.
The fee surpasses the highest the Hatters had previously paid in 1989 when they bought Lars Elstrup for £850,000 has seen the 6ft 3ins ace join the Kenilworth Road outfit amid interest from clubs in the Premier League, Championship clubs and the German Bundesliga.
The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year contract, subject to international clearance.
Sluga spent time as a youth in the academy at Italian giants Juventus joined his new team-mates for the official 2019-20 photo on the Kenilworth Road pitch.
The stopper won the Croatian domestic league title with Rijeka in 2016-17 and played in the subsequent two-legged Europa League win over AC Milan. He also lifted the Croatian League Cup for the second time and made his debut for the World Cup runners-up last month.
Town boss Graeme Jones told the club’s official website: “I’ve been very impressed with the goalkeepers that we have at the club now, but I feel that we need to get stronger in that area with the idea of letting Harry Isted go out on loan and get some experience.
“I’m delighted to break to club record fee with signing a current Croatian international, who is basically second choice for the country who 12 months ago were playing in a World Cup final. That shows the pedigree of players that we’ve been scouting throughout Europe since March.
“We’ve looked at all markets and seen Simon live several times. He’s incredibly athletic and powerful. He’s an excellent footballer – an 11th player for us – and he has a fantastic presence and great reflexes. He’s brave, focussed and driven.
“At 26 he’s a great age and having had a previous youth career with Juventus, he has good experience behind him now with over 150 senior appearances to his name.
“He’ll still need a period to get used to the English game, and obviously British culture. But we are hoping that we give him a microwave period over the next two-and-a-half weeks and he’ll be ready to compete for his place for the first game of the season against Middlesbrough.”
Goalkeeper coach Kevin Dearden said: “It’s been a real big search over the off-season to find a goalkeeper to strengthen the group, and it’s proven a difficult market to find the right one. But in Simon we feel we’ve got the perfect man.
“We saw him play against us last year (in pre-season) and we’ve watched him live again recently. In between, he’s had an excellent year, playing Europa League football and making his full international debut.
“He’s very quick, athletic and agile, but is also brave on the ball, which is something Graeme wants for our style of play this season. He’s ready for a new challenge and we are delighted he’s chosen Luton Town to take that challenge on and further his career.”
Sluga is Jones’ fifth signing since taking charge, joining Callum McManaman, Martin Cranie, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Brendan Galloway, two weeks ahead of the club’s opening game of the Championship season.
