Manager Matt Bloomfield has confirmed that midfielder Marvelous Nakamba will come back into contention for Luton after playing for Zimbabwe during the international break.
The 31-year-old hasn’t played a single minute of pre-season of League One football for the Hatters this term amid summer transfer interest. He only had a 45-minute run-out with the club’s under-21s until now, so Friday’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat in Benin was his first competitive action since Town’s 1-0 Championship win over Derby in April.
“Marv has had some interest as a number of our players,” Bloomfield said, adding: “But he’s still with us now. So he’s our player and he’ll be ready to contribute when we’re ready to have him back.”
A month ago, the Hatters chief explained that Nakamba had been managing a long-standing knee issue and had not trained consistently with the main group and, ahead of Saturday’s clash against Plymouth Argyle, he reiterated: “He’s obviously had a bit of a slow summer, working his way back and it’s great for us and for him that he’s gone and played 90 minutes for Zimbabwe.
“He was obviously really keen to go and play for his country as he always is. So another proud moment for him and a good for us to have him back to fitness.”
Competition for midfield places will be tough, though. Bloomfield was quick to point out that George Saville, Jordan Clark, Zack Nelson, Lamine Fanne and Liam Walsh have all impressed in recent weeks.
“A fit and ready Marvelous Nakamba is obviously a plus for us as well,” he added. “But the competition of places is fierce in the middle of the pitch.”
While Nakamba edges closer to a return, there is mixed fortunes for several senior players. Teden Mengi is “back on the grass” and training again, after a move away in the transfer window failed to materialise, but Bloomfield admitted the defender still needs minutes before being considered fully match sharp. The club may look to include the former Manchester United man in an under-21 game or arrange a behind-closed-doors game for him.
Reuell Walters has suffered a setback with his groin injury and “is going to be out for a little while still”, while transfer deadline day striker signing Ali Al-Hamadi also faces a few more weeks on the sidelines as he recovers from the calf injury that he arrived with. Izzy Jones (back fracture) and Jacob Brown (ankle) are also still working their way back, with Bloomfield describing their progress as “a slow one”.
Bloomfield gave a more positive update concerning Mads Andersen, who hasn’t featured since the defeat at Bradford on August 16. “Mads is fine. Yeah, Mads is good,” the manager said.
Meanwhile, Hakeem Odoffin is continuing his recovery from a summer operation and Bloomfield said: “It’s a slow recovery for him. He’s progressing, which is it’s going to be great for him and for us when he comes back.”
The Luton boss acknowledged the challenge of navigating so many absences but suggested the squad will look far stronger when this group of players returns around a similar time.
“Once you get those boys back, we’ll have real strength and depth. And I think that it was a real consideration for us during the summer. We knew a few of those were going to be a while,” Bloomfield said.
But the boss still has a strong squad of available players to pick from and he insists that competition for places is exactly what will push standards higher, as they prepare for the visit of Plymouth on Saturday, hoping to mark Kenilworth Road’s 120th anniversary with a win.
“The competition with places is fierce at the moment. And that, in my experience, heightens performance levels because everyone’s fighting for a position,” he said.
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