Emilio Lawrence has admitted he would be “more than happy” to stay at Luton Town beyond this season after playing a key role in their Vertu Trophy final triumph at Wembley.
The on-loan Manchester City winger has emerged as one of the Hatters’ standout performers in recent weeks, capping his rise with a goal in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Stockport County.
However, with his loan deal set to expire this summer, Lawrence says no decision has yet been made over what comes next.
“I haven’t heard anything from my agent or all the club, as it stands, to be honest,” he said.
“I’m just focusing on the end of the season, [trying to] finish as high as we can, do what I can to help the team, get them into the play-offs and get the club back up to the Championship and then I guess we can assess what happens in summer. But I love being here, I’ve loved every minute of it. So I’d be more than happy to [stay].”
Still only at the early stages of his senior career, the 20-year-old arrived at Kenilworth Road during the January transfer window from Manchester City’s academy set-up, having developed within one of the most competitive youth systems in English football.
Like many young players making the transition from academy to senior football, his path has not been entirely smooth. After initially starting in the Hatters’ side, he found himself out of the team for almost a month.
While in his early appearances Lawrence found the physicality of League One a challenge, but he has looked increasingly assured in the last ten games, using his pace and directness to trouble defenders and provide a consistent attacking threat.
Rather than letting his confidence get dented, the forward believes that period without minutes in February proved crucial to his development, and since he returning to face Port Vale, Lawrence has started all ten games.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t change that,” he said of his month on the sidelines, adding: “I feel like everything happened for a reason, when that happened.
“Sometimes it’s hard to see at the time, but even that is experience, learning how to deal with different things, different scenarios in your career, but I think it’s all happened for the best, so I’m happy.”
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