Tom Holmes: The clear winners from Luton Town’s summer transfer window so far | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at two players who have benefited from Luton Town's transfer window so far.

Luton Town are preparing for life back in the Championship, with Rob Edwards hoping to build a squad that is capable of bouncing back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

The Hatters weren’t exactly huge spenders in the top-flight last season, so unlike some other clubs, they haven’t had to oversee a firesale due to the fact they didn’t live within their means.

Nevertheless, some departures have happened, with Ross Barkley the most notable sale, whilst Gabriel Osho has joined French side Auxerre after his contract at Kenilworth Road expired.

Luton Town’s summer transfer plans

More exits could be on the cards, and the recruitment team no doubt have a list of players they want to bring in, with Shandon Baptiste and Reuell Walters the two senior additions so far.

So, it’s been a relatively quiet few weeks for Luton, and here we look at TWO clear winners from the window so far…

Tom Holmes

Luton took advantage of Reading’s desperate financial situation to agree a deal for Holmes in January, with part of the agreement seeing him remain with the Royals for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old has now linked up with his new teammates though, and he will have been hoping for opportunities to impress Edwards during pre-season - and that’s exactly what’s happened.

Osho has moved on, with Dan Potts also leaving, and there are major doubts over the future of Teden Mengi, whilst Mads Andersen remains out injured, so Luton aren’t exactly blessed with options at the back right now.

The hierarchy at the club are yet to bring a new centre-back in this summer, so Edwards has been giving those at his disposal a chance, meaning Holmes is going to have a chance to stake his claim for a place in the starting 11 moving forward.

Holmes will know that this situation could change pretty quickly, but the ex-Reading man will surely be delighted at how his first few weeks with the Hatters has played out - he has met his new teammates, worked with Edwards on a daily basis, and had a chance to play to show what he can do.

Joseph Johnson

It’s a similar story with 18-year-old Johnson, who is highly-rated by Luton having joined the academy in 2020.

The potential of the teenager has been known for some time, and he has been involved in the first-team in recent years, which includes making two Premier League appearances last season.

So, even though he is young, there will be hope that Johnson can kick-on and establish himself as a regular in the squad during the 2024/25 campaign, and the early signs suggest the boss will give him a chance to do just that.

Like Holmes, the lack of new recruits at centre-back has played into the hands of Johnson, who has impressed on the left of the back three.

Of course, there needs to be a lot of patience with Johnson, and Edwards certainly won’t rush him, but this has been a positive start to pre-season for the youngster, and his performances could prompt a rethink about what’s needed in the market.