Manager Rob Edwards has said that Luton Town are preparing for the opening of the transfer window next month and “working hard” to make “adjustments” that can help improve their chances in the Championship this season.
Despite a last-minute 2-1 victory over Stoke City at Kenilworth Road last, the Hatters have had a challenging campaign, with just six wins in their first 20 games. A concerning total of 10 defeats, including seven away from home, underscores the need for reinforcements.
Last time out in the Championship, Edwards secured January loan deals for Marvelous Nakamba and Cody Drameh from Aston Villa and Leeds United, respectively. Both players played key roles in Luton’s ascent, culminating in a dramatic Championship play-off final victory over Coventry City that secured promotion to the Premier League.
Town currently have an open slot in their 25-player squad, having initially registered only 24 players at the start of the season. And in the last few weeks, an injury crisis has reemerged, exacerbating their troubles. Centre back Teden Mengi was last week sidelined for several months due to an operation on a serious knee injury, while Amari’i Bell, Shandon Baptiste, Liam Walsh, Reece Burke, Alfie Doughty and Reuell Walters are all out injured.
In January, midfielder Lamine Fanne will arrive from Swedish club AIK, having been signed in the summer and loaned back to the Stockholm side, but as an under-21 player, Fanne won’t occupy a squad slot, offering some flexibility.
When asked if he anticipates heightened activity during the transfer window, Edwards said: “Potentially. We’re looking at trying to make a few adjustments and working hard on one or two things, so we’ll see. January is a difficult market, we’ve always said that, so it’s hard for me to come out and promise anything, but we’ll certainly work hard on being able to make a few adjustments. Freshening, improving, you always want to try and move forward, you always want to come out of any window and try and be stronger. January is difficult, but we’ll work hard on it.”
Asked prior to beating the Potters if Luton’s form, which had then seen just five wins in 19, had forced a shift in recruitment plans, Edwards said: “No, there’s always been a good plan in place, it’s not changing too much, but we can always be dynamic in the window and the guys are good at that. If we do need to change our approach or go in a bit of a different direction quickly then we’re capable of doing that, but it’s not right now changing any plans specifically.
“We’ve been able to assess where we’re at, what we need, what we need to try and do. There’s been some really good conversations on that, so that’s been really positive. We’ve got a good idea of what we need to do, where we need to try and improve, so that’s been really positive. We’ll have a look at everything, we are expanding our horizons with our recruitment, so if there’s someone that can improve us, then it’s something we will look at.”
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