Luton Town’s return to the Championship has begun as they had hoped.
The Hatters came close to securing Premier League safety last season, but eventually dropped back down and, considering how close they came, were expected to fight their way back up.
However, as we approach December, Town remains at the bottom of the standings and will most likely look to use the January window to improve their position.
Here, we look at several transfers that the club should consider during the mid-season window.
By far the most pressing concern at Kenilworth Road is the club’s defensive issues; they have conceded more than almost every team in the standings, including those below them.
Part of this could be attributed to an overreliance on younger defenders, resulting in a little lack of Championship experience in the backline, with 28-year-old Reece Burke the most experienced natural centre-back, frequently teamed with Mark McGuinness (23) and Teden Mengi (22).
Burnley’s John Egan only arrived at Turf Moor in the summer, but the six minutes he’s played for the club thus far – despite being fit enough to sit on the bench – show it wasn’t a perfect fit.
Egan, 32, should still have much to give a Championship club, having spent two full seasons in the second division with Sheffield United before their one-year stint in the Premier League.
He signed a one-year contract at the end of the summer, so a small fee may be required, but the move may even benefit the Clarets by getting a player off the books who doesn’t appear to be working out, and the 205 Championship games on his CV could be just the injection of experience needed at Luton.
Although defence is the Hatters’ most pressing issue, a team toward the bottom of the table could always use more goals.
Ali Al-Hamadi of Ipswich Town has been a victim of the Tractor Boys’ success, having moved to the Championship in January to test himself before the club’s surprise promotion to the top flight.
He was still working his way into the team in the Championship, but Premier League minutes were naturally difficult to come by, and he may be interested in a move away from Portman Road to get some regular minutes under his belt.
Four goals and an assist in 14 appearances for Ipswich last season — only one of which came from the start — suggest there’s plenty more to come from the 22-year-old, and he’d undoubtedly find opportunities in a struggling Luton side, with the potential to make a name for himself if he can dig them out of a hole.
Whether it is a loan or a sale will be strongly influenced by the future Ipswich sees in front of Al-Hamadi, as well as the cash available at Kenilworth Road following their relegation.
Joe Taylor had two successful loan periods last season, the first in League Two with Colchester, where he scored 11 goals in 25 appearances, and then up a level to League One with Lincoln City, where he scored 10 in 19 games.
Natural progression suggested that he’d be most suited to a team in the lower tiers of the Championship to take the next step, which is precisely where Luton are currently, but he’s only made nine appearances, all from the bench.
He’s definitely talented, but at 22 years old, he should be playing football. If the Hatters don’t see a path to regular game time for him right now, they should let him find another loan or cash in on a permanent transfer.
Everything is going well for left-back Joe Johnson right now.
The 18-year-old England U19 international has made the senior squad for Luton, starting one Championship game and coming on as a substitute in another.
There’s no doubt he’s a promising prospect, and there’s no need to rush his development, but now that he’s been a regular matchday squad member for the Hatters, a few months away on loan to try and gain some first-team minutes could provide a boost to an already successful season for the Luton youth product.
Throwing him into a pressurised Kenilworth Road environment on a regular basis may be intimidating for a young player, so some consistent game time elsewhere may set him up beautifully for a return to his parent club and a significant influence on the senior squad next season.
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