Luton have not ruled out sending top academy graduates Zack Nelson and Joe Johnson out on loan next month, if they can add new recruits in the transfer window.
Both the teenage England youth internationals have featured in Town’s last two Championship games, coming on to help the Hatters to a last-gasp 2-1 comeback victory over Derby County on Friday night.
Those appearances where the pair’s first since the back end of October, though midfielder Nelson, 19, has made more appearances (ten) to the 18-year-old Johnson’s four, which has been partly down to the club’s current injury crisis but also, boss Rob Edwards has said, because they’re improving as players.
And that will leave him with a January conundrum of whether to keep them in the camp or send them out on loan to gain more first-team experience.
Edwards said: “We’ll make the decision on what is right for them, but also it’ll be a little bit on what we’re able to do in January as well. So, in the end, the football club has to be first. We know there’s an individual there and these are important individuals that we want to try and speed up and progress their pathway as quickly as we can, and they need the right experiences for that.
“There’s nothing like first-team football for them, so we’ll make the right decision. We’ve not ruled anything out. But if they’re here and they’re involved with us then, number one, that’s ideal. That’s great. It means they’re doing really well. But if we’re able to get a few in, we get people back, and if we feel then it might be (an option).
“I’m not treating them as a pair, obviously. We’ve got to see these as individuals. If we feel that a loan is the right thing for one of them, or both, then we’ll certainly look at that.
“So, club first. Within that, then we know there’s an individual and it’s really important, especially those two, that they are getting first team football.
“But at the moment they’re getting some of that exposure. They’re getting great experience and training with us every day, so they’re getting better.”
Both Nelson and Johnson made their Premier League debuts last season and are now considered first-team players and with seven players out injured, they may get more opportunities over this Christmas period.
“They deserve it as well,” said Edwards, adding: “Of course, injuries have played a part, but they’ve been training really well. Zack obviously these few weeks with his ankles, but he’s been looking good again and I was really pleased with JJ Blackburn and we, with his left foot and a bit of balance late in that game, when we had to really try and turn the screw and make something happen.
“So, it’s a great feeling for a sub and young players, especially to come on in the (Derby) game, both at 1-0 down and to be to be coming off (the pitch) winning. They’ll be feeling great.
“It’s brilliant. We can’t expect too much, they’re young kids and I suppose there’s going to be little dips, but we’ve got really high hopes for it. I have been consistent in saying that for a long, long time with both of those. And there’s others as well.
“But it’s great when the academy can see that, young players coming on and then seeing they’re able to affect the game as well and help us win a Championship game of football.
“So, yeah, it was great for them. Obviously good for us as a team. Needed. But really good for the academy as well.”
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