There’s just under a week left of the transfer window and it has been a quiet winter for the Hatters, who have signed free agent Kal Naismith and loaned out Peter Kioso and Gabriel Osho to Northampton and Rochdale, respectively. Ahead of Saturday’s Championship trip to Blackburn Rovers, here’s what Luton boss Nathan Jones said about those players and his chances of adding to his squad.
Peter Kioso’s move to Northampton, was that just to get him games at the level above (the right back had been at League Two Bolton)?
Jones said: “It’s a tricky one, really because I didn’t really want him to go, but he felt we have a lot of people that can cover that area. We have James Bree, Matty Pearson, Martin Cranie and Jordan Clark who can play in that area. So it was a decision that we needed to say, really, in June, where will Peter Kioso be?
“We want him to be really close to our first team and, by doing that, is it better to keep him around our environment, or get him tested at a different level. We came to the decision of testing him at a different level.
“He had a very good loan at Bolton and we had no problem with him staying at Bolton, but I wanted to get him back in the fold for a few weeks.
“He came back, we spoke, made a decision and hopefully he’ll go and do really well at Northampton.”
Do you see Kioso being a first team player?
Jones said: “Yeah, we do. He has to adapt to the level. He has to get there, but we’ll never know until we actually play him. But we have people who are ahead of him that are more used to Championship football and so on, so that’s why he needs the game time elsewhere.”
What’s the situation with Gabriel Osho to Rochdale?
“Again, we brought him in and he didn’t have much of a pre-season, so we loaned him to Yeovil to get game time and he had a very good loan there. We knew the club he was going to, so we were delighted with that.
“Then, coming back out now, it’s about getting him tested again. Again, we’re well-stocked in the defensive areas and are slightly ahead of him, but he’s one we’ve got very high hopes for.
“With him getting a pre-season and competing with those around him, we’ll see where he is. In the interim, let’s get him games, let’s get him tested and let’s get real development into him, because that’s what he needs.
“Rochdale’s a real good club, with a good manager that play in a good way, so he’s going to get an education there, not just games.”
Any news on whether Brendan Galloway might go out on loan?
Jones said: “Nothing yet. We’ve tried to. Brendan needs to play because his game time is going to be limited here with us bringing in Kal (Naismith), and what we have in the building.
“So, it’s essential he plays because he hasn’t played for long, long periods. If he doesn’t play or go out and get games then it’s going to be very tough in the summer.”
How have your efforts been going on strengthening and bringing players into the club?
Jones said: “We’ve got good numbers. If something becomes available that will improve us, or is different, then I know that if there’s logic in it, the club will back my decision. But, at the minute, we’re not close to anyone yet.”
Have there been any bids received for your players?
Jones said: “No, and we don’t envisage that. We don’t welcome that unless they’re astronomical (bids). We don’t want the group unsettled at this point.
“There’s one or two where we’ve had a lot of offers to take our players on loan and that doesn’t surprise me because of where we’ve come from.
“There will be teams in League One that would covet our players but we have a settled group and that’s what we’ve got to keep.”
It is thought that James Collins, Sonny Bradley, Matty Pearson, Dan Potts, George Moncur, Martin Cranie, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu may all become free agents in the summer. Jones was asked whether he accepted the club’s soon-to-be out of contract stars could bide their time and not commit too early to new deals?
Jones said: “We know with what we have here, we’re pretty settled.
“We’ve opened negotiations with a number of players that we want to tie down, that we want to tie down early.
“There are one or two that we’re waiting to see how they finish the season, then we’ll have a conversation.
“It’s not that we don’t want them, it’s because we want to be in a position where we speak to those about their career and about moving forward.
“We like to look after our players here and we want to tie down our assets. Some will have decisions to make over where’s the best place for them to play their football, so everything’s in hand.
“We’re very rarely exposed on our players, especially since I’ve been here and that’s credit to the board and to the work that we do and Gary (Sweet, chief executive) does to be fair.”
