Agent claims Luton are looking to buy a defender now after seeing bid turned down for Zambrano

The agent of LDU Quito midfielder Oscar Zambrano has claimed that Luton made a bid for his player earlier in the year that was rejected by the Ecuadorian club, stating the Hatters have now turned their attentions elsewhere during the January transfer window.

The 19-year-old has been linked with a move to Kenilworth Road since the Hatters were promoted to the Premier League after impressing for his Serie A Primera Etapa side, making 14 appearances, also playing in the Copa Sudamericana as well. A star for his country at U23 level, Town boss Rob Edwards has often confirmed he is a player that the club had been looking at, head scout Phil Chapple flying out to Argentina last year to watch the teenager, along with a number of other talented youngsters, although the Luton chief denied rumours that an official approach had ever been put in.

Speaking to Ecuadorian news outlet Ole, Zambrano’s agent Mauricio Machado declared that the Hatters had indeed put a bid in for the midfielder and was critical for those running LDU Quito for not accepting it. He said: “The first offer that I presented was in the middle of the year. It was an offer of €5m for 80%, Esteban Paz (LDU Quito director) rejected it because he said it was not enough. Luton took a step aside, now they tried to restart the talks, but a central defender was injured, and they cannot make an offer for Oscar because they are going to buy a defender.

“Esteban Paz and his people seem to me to have acted badly, because when there was a very important offer from Luton in the middle of the year, for Oscar to arrive and play in the Premier League, because the coach wanted him. For me the sporting issue is always paramount. Knowing where he is going and if he is going to play, beyond the economic aspect for the club, at that time it was very important for Oscar to go to the Premier League because he was going to play.”

Zambrano has also been linked with a number of Luton’s top flight rivals, with AFC Bournemouth reported to have concluded a deal to take the player to the Vitality Stadium. That was wide of the mark though according to Machado, who insisted the youngster could now head to the Bundesliga in Germany instead, adding: “Mr Esteban (Paz) says that he has an offer from Bournemouth in England. I found out and it is true that there is interest, but they never made a formal offer. I am permanently in contact with Dr Isaac (Álvarez), president of the League and his people and they told me that there is no official offer for Óscar Zambrano.

"Here there is talk of an offer from Bournemouth that is not on the table, that does not exist. It even appeared in the media that it is sold and that is not the case, this morning I spoke with Dr. Isaac and his people, so that is not the case.”