Joe Morrell has not handed in a transfer request and boss Nathan Jones wants the midfielder to stay, despite the Wales international admitting before Euro 2020 that he wanted to address his lack of club action.
The 24-year-old played in all of his country’s European Championship games, where they eventually got knocked out 4-0 by Denmark in the round of 16.
But Morrell had not featured much for the Hatters last term, making just six starts and not featuring at all after the February 27 Championship comeback win over Sheffield Wednesday, where he was substituted off at half time with Town 2-0 down.
He said at the end May that he’d asked his representatives to address his lack of game time for Luton. Asked if that meant the midfielder had asked to leave, Jones said: “The days of transfer requests being handed in, they don’t happen at this football club because, at the end of the day, if Joe doesn’t want to be here, then fine, we’ll look for a solution.
“People only hand in a transfer request when they pretty much know that they’re going somewhere.
“They’re usually the best player at the thing, don’t want to be there and they know that they’ve got a big money move elsewhere. That’s not the case here. I get on with Joe, we’ve got a good relationship.
“If something comes up then we will put it to Joe and we’ll have a decision if it’s something the club wants to do. If not, he comes back, he works hard and tries his best for Luton.”
In his pre-Euros interview while on Wales duty, Morrell said: “Next season I need to be playing regular football and that’s something I’ll be addressing, for sure.”
He will not return to the Hatters’ pre-season fold for another ten days, having been given some time off after being away with Wales.
Asked about the midfielder’s comments, Jones said: “That’s all in hand. It’s a clinical word, ‘address’. I don’t have favourites, I have people I like and care about but, at the end of the day, the most important thing is about winning football matches for Luton Town and winning enough games.
“All I do is pick the best 11 that I think will give me a result on a Saturday because friendships and looking after people will eventually cost you your job, so I never do that.
“Addressing the situation is, he’s either one of the best two or three players at the club, or he’ll be patient or does something different, or whatever.
“And if someone comes in and wants to buy Joe Morrell then, OK, we’ll look at it. But I’ve been a bit baffled with people saying this and that.”
Despite his lack of action with Luton, Morrell impressed during the Euro’s group stage with Wales and provided the assist for Kieffer Moore’s equaliser in the opener against Switzerland.
Jones said: “International football, for example, is catagorically different from Championship football, categorically, categorically different from Championship football.
“Now, if anyone can tell me that I was unjust in picking Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Pelly-Ruddock last year then let me know.
“To Joe, I love Joe, I brought Joe here and I want him to succeed here. (If) Joe wants to succeed then he’s got to be one of the best midfield players. We’ve added to the squad to add greater competition, so we’ll see where he is.
“Joe did well in a lot of the games for Wales and we’re proud of that because I wanted them to do well and I wanted Joe to do well, but Championship football is different.
“Playing in Rome, playing in Baku, is categorically different from going to Rotherham away.“
Morrell’s club and international team-mate Tom Lockyer was an unused squad player for Wales having been given a late call-up due to injury for James Lawrence. The central defender will join up with the Hatters on Sunday, while goalkeeper Simon Sluga will be the last of Town’s Euro 2020 contingent to return to club action, having been given three weeks off after Croatia crashed out of the road of 16 in a 5-3 extra-time thriller with Spain, due to not seeing his family for most of last year.
I dont have favourites!!! Thats an untruth from NJ! How does Pelly get picked then week in week out when according to sofa score he is the worse performing midfielder for LTFC.
I think it is a clash of 2 welsh personalities – one who only ever played 20 games in the Championship and Never played for Wales.
Sounds a bit like a load of old flannel. If I were Joe Morrell, I’d be telling my representatives to get cracking on finding me something else – asap. The competition for mid-field places looks to be even hotter now. And there could be more! NJ says he is hoping to welcome more new faces – despite acknowledging elsewhere that he knows he will have to reduce his squad. Left hand, right hand? Still, it’s all go tomorrow. Good luck, Joe, whatever you decide to do. It was great to see you in action for Wales.
Totally agree – he is not a favoured Son – I can see him and Pelly being shipped out soon. We wont miss them to be honest