Luton Town make third signing of the summer as Harrison Ashby joins on loan

And the 24-year-old can't wait to get going at Kenilworth Road.

Ashby, who was born in Milton Keynes, began his career at West Ham United, where he made seven first-team appearances, before joining the Magpies for a deal worth £3m in 2023.

He has yet to play a competitive first team game for Newcastle, but arrives at Kenilworth Road having enjoyed loans with Sky Bet Championship clubs Swansea City and Queens Park Rangers.

He also spent the second half of last season in league one with Bradford City, where he made eight appearances in a four-month loan stint as the Bantams reached the play-off semi-finals.

A former Scotland Under-21 international, Ashby made his Hammers debut alongside Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere, and he said: “It was rather quick in the making. I’m quite used to going out on loan at the end of the window, so it’s nice getting something in early.

“I’ll be with the lads now for a full pre-season, which will help towards me getting to know everyone and helping the club.

“My first chat with Jack really sold the move to me. Being with him at West Ham, it was a bit of a little reunion for us, and after five minutes I said to my agent, ‘Yes, I want to be here’. It wasn’t really that hard a decision.

“The main thing is that he knows what kind of character I am already, and he knows what kind of player I am as well.

"So I think straightaway the philosophy matches my playing style, which is perfect for me, and I think I can slot into the team and help them straightaway.

“Luton is a massive club and always has been. It’s a joy to get it over the line now. I’m hoping to help the team get up where we need to be.”

Hatters boss Wilshere said: “I was playing alongside Harrison for West Ham when he made his debut, and you could tell that he had something.

"Technically he was always clean, and he was very young then, but physically he was good.

“I kept an eye on him going to Newcastle because Eddie Howe is someone I worked with and a coach that I respect, so I always thought that he’d be good for him.

“It probably hasn’t quite worked out for him how he wanted it to, but Eddie Howe has definitely done a good job of developing him as a player, but also as a person. He’s grown up so much. He’s someone I see who can fit straight into this group and help us on the pitch.

“Going out on his loans in the Championship and League One has probably helped him grow up a lot as well. Harrison is a good footballer, and always has been, but he had to go out and learn the other side of it.

“He was at Bradford last year, so he understands the league and he says he loved his loan there.

"That tells me he’s someone that buys into a coach, a way of playing and a way of working with a good attitude that we need right now.”

In all, Ashby has made 46 senior starts as well as a further 23 off the bench, scoring two goals.