The summer transfer window is now closed and Luton Town’s transfer business is complete. Here’s how it played out on deadline day…
CONFIRMED – Al-Hamadi becomes Luton’s final signing of the summer
Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield says the arrival of striker Ali Al-Hamadi from Ipswich Town underlines the club’s ambition after securing the Iraqi international on loan with an obligation to buy.
CONFIRMED – Luton sign Gillingham striker
Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield says new signing Joe Gbodé has the talent and character to make a big impression after the striker joined from League Two leaders Gillingham on deadline day.
CONFIRMED – Woodrow joins Wycombe
Luton Town striker Cauley Woodrow has joined League One rivals Wycombe Wanderers on loan until the end of the season.
CONFIRMED: McGuinness makes Sheffield switch
Defender Mark McGuinness has completed a permanent move to Sheffield United after a surprise late transfer deadline day swoop from the Blades, with manager Matt Bloomfield admitting his disappointment but praising the player.
CONFIRMED – Holmes heads to Rotherham
Luton Town defender Tom Holmes has joined League One side Rotherham United on a season-long.
CONFIRMED – Archer targets Town rise after signing for the Hatters
Luton Town have secured the signing of winger Ethon Archer from Cheltenham Town, with Hatters loaning the 23-year-old back to the Robins until January.
Report – Brown’s Bristol switch collapses
A surprise move to Bristol City for Jacob Brown has collapsed, according to Bristol Live, the online arm of the Bristol Post.
The Luton attacker has been out of action since March after a serious ankle injury required surgery and he’s not yet been close to action this term, though he’s understood to be back training.
But Bristol Live said they “have confirmed social media reports which suggested that Luton striker Brown’s move to Ashton Gate has collapsed late on, leaving the Robins’ plans in disarray with just hours to go before the transfer deadline passes at 7pm.”
Rumour – Burnley in for Mengi?
Burnley are in talks with Luton over a deal for Teden Mengi, according to Daily Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath, posted on X: “Luton are in talks with Burnley over potential deal for CB Teden Mengi. The 23yo is an option at Turf Moor as they look to strengthen Scott Parker’s squad”.
Town signed the centre half from Manchester United as they prepared for their first season in the Premier League and he impressed but ultimately suffered relegation back to the Championship.
Last summer the defender was linked with a move to Italian side Torino, which never materialised, but he also refused surgery on his knee despite recommendations, only to go under the knife in December to repair a torn meniscus, which ruled him out for much of the campaign.
Mengi returned towards the end of last season, but again suffered relegation and hasn’t featured this term in League One after picking up an ankle injury in pre-season.
Rumour – Ipswich and Sheffield United eye McGuinness?
Football League World are reporting an exclusive that Ipswich Town “have entered talks with Luton in a bid to bring McGuinness back to the club”.
McGuinness spent a season on loan at Ipswich, while he was with Arsenal, but the Tractor Boys are in the market for a new centre half with Luke Woolfenden poised to join Coventry City.
But Radio Sheffield broadcaster Andy Giddings has also said that the defender is a late target for Sheffield United, who took Tahith Chong from Town last week.
An exit would be a a surprise move for the centre half who only arrived at Kenilworth Road last summer from Cardiff in a deal reported to be in the region of £10million, including add-ons, though officially undisclosed. His debut season was difficult and ended in relegation from the Championship. His summer has been interrupted by a viral illness that saw him lose weight, but McGuinness has now completed five 90 minutes in a row.
Rumour – Luton return for Gbode?
Journalist and transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke has said Luton “poised” to sign Gillingham striker Joseph Gbode, adding on X that the player is “undergoing a medical and holding talks over move to Kenilworth Road”.
The forwards was linked with Luton early in August, with O’Rourke claiming that two bids had been rejected by the Kent club.
Football League World has said the deal is worth £300,000.
Rumour – Bolton reject bid for ex-Bloomfield player
Journalist and transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke has claimed in a post on X that Luton and Wycombe have had bids rejected by Bolton for their midfielder Aaron Morley.
The 25-year-old was with Luton boss Matt Bloomfield at Wycombe for the first half of last term but was recalled by the Trotters in January. It’s understood he has two years left on his Wanderers deal and the Lancashire club are not keen to sell.
Reports – Luton agree Al-Hamadi move
Sky Sports are reporting that the Hatters have agreed a loan deal for Ipswich attacher Ali Al-Hamadi, with a £3million obligation to buy next summer.
Sky Sports News’ journalist Dharmesh Sheth has said: “Ipswich have an agreement in principle to send Ali Al-Hamadi on loan to Luton in a deal which includes an obligation to buy. The total package is worth £3m. The 23-year-old forward is travelling to Luton for a medical.”
The Kenilworth Road club were linked with a move for the Iraqi earlier in the summer, and he is known to Town boss Matt Bloomfield who, then as a midfielder, he spent two years with at Wycombe before a move to AFC Wimbledon in January 2023 and then, a year later, a switch to Ipswich for a fee believed to be in the region of £1million.
Phillips interest dashed?
Luton were linked to goalscoring Barnsley midfielder Adam Phillips over the weekend, but the 27-year-old has appeared to pour cold water on the reports, taking to social media to to post “I’m not f****** leaving”.
Football League World reported yesterday that an offer had been submitted to the Tykes, who Luton have plundered during numerous transfer windows over recent years. It’s perhaps not surprising seeing as Phillips has bagged 29 goals and 21 assists for the Yorkshire side over the last thee seasons.
Matt Bloomfield admitted on Saturday that a move for a midfielder was a “possibility” after news emerged of a season-ending ACL knee injury for Shandon Baptiste.
Rumour – exit for Cauley Woodrow?
The Luton academy graduate was not in the squad for Saturday’s 3-0 League One victory at Burton Albion and he’s long been linked with a permanent move away from Kenilworth Road.
The forward spent the second half of last season on loan at Blackburn Rovers and he’s only featured twice for Town this term.
Last week, there were rumours of interest from Leyton Orient and today the 30-year-old has been linked with boss Matt Bloomfield’s former team Wycombe Wanderers.
CONFIRMED – Shayden Morris joins the Hatters
Luton have started transfer deadline day strongly announcing the signing of Aberdeen winger Shayden Morris, after the right winger was left out of the Scottish side’s Europa League qualifier in Romania last week.
Report – Deal agreed to sign Cheltenham winger
Yesterday, the Gloucestershire Live news outlet reported that the Hatters have beaten Peterborough to the signing of 23-year-old Ethon Archer.
While there has been no official confirmation, it is understood that Archer would return to The Robins on loan until January, who he joined last summer from Torquay United and made 53 appearances, scoring eight times.
Rumour – Bid rejected for Lincoln striker?
Yesterday, journalist and transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke reported that Lincoln City rejected a transfer bid in excess of £1million for forward Rob Street from an unnamed League One club, with The Football Deck later suggesting that Luton were those suitors.
It could have some veracity as the Hatters appointed Marc Tracy as chief scout in the summer, who moved from Sincil Bank, having previously been at Kenilworth Road for a short spell as head of academy operations during Town’s non-league days.
Street, a 23-year-old, had a successful loan spell at Doncaster Rovers last season from January, helping them to promotion out of League Two with 12 goals in 22 outings for the Yorkshire side.
Rumour – Holmes to the Millers?
Yesterday, Football League World reported that Rotherham United had submitted a proposal to take Town centre back Tom Holmes on loan.
The former Reading defender spent the second half of last term on loan at Belgian outfit FCV Dender EH and has only made two appearances for the Hatters, struggling in the 1-0 Carabao Cup exit at Coventry.
Rumour – Fanne for the exit?
On Friday, Team Talk journalist Rudy Galetti suggested that Serie A new boys Cremonese – who are poised to sign Jamie Vardy – are interested in Luton midfielder Lamine Fanne. In a post on X has wrote: ‘No advanced talks with Luton yet, but the Italian side is showing the strongest interest in him One to watch until the end of the transfer session.’
The Spaniard was signed by the Hatters last summer but loaned back to Swedish AIK until January, when he made the move to England. He was absent from the squad as Town beat Burton Albion 3-0.
