Wilshere explains why Mengi was left on Luton bench against Ipswich and what’s next for ex-Man Utd man

Jack Wilshere has warned Teden Mengi he needs to build up his match fitness and “robustness” before returning to the Luton Town first team after the defender made the bench for the first time this season but was an unused substitute against Ipswich.

The Hatters thrashed the Tractor Boys’ Under-21s 6-0 in the Jersey Mike’s Subs Trophy and the 24-year-old returned to contention after recovering from the injury which has kept him out since February.

Mengi had completed a full pre-season and was back training with the first-team squad, but his season has been disrupted by uncertainty around his future and a recent illness.

In the summer transfer window, Wilshere said he would not stand in Mengi’s way if he found another club, although no move materialised.

His return to the bench offered a first indication that he is edging closer to competitive action, but Wilshere revealed there had been a deliberate decision not to put him on the pitch against Ipswich.

“There was an intention to play him,” Wilshere said, adding: “We had some long conversations over the last few days about it. About the risk. Because potentially if we do play him, he hasn’t done much.

“He had a full pre-season, got himself into a good place, and then there was a little bit of confusion around the transfer window, probably is the right word.

“And he was a bit stop-start. Then at the beginning of last week he missed, I think, three days with an illness.

“And we looked at his training load and we didn’t feel like it was the right time to put him onto the pitch and play his first game that he’s played in ages.”

Wilshere believes Mengi now needs regular competitive football to regain his sharpness, with opportunities potentially coming with the under-21s before he is considered for a return to League One action.

“He does need to play, probably some [under] 21 games,” the manager said, adding: “And let’s see how he gets through them. He needs to play games, he needs to play minutes, I’m very aware of that, he’s very aware of that. But he also needs to train consistently and build some robustness.”