Bloomfield knows choosing when to introduce January signing Christ Makosso is vital

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield knows it’s vitally important for the development of defender Christ Makosso that he picks exactly the right time to use him in the first team.

The 20-year-old was Town’s first signing of the January transfer window, having agreed to move from Belgian Challenger Pro League side RWD Molenbeek, where he played 13 times last term, scoring once and picking up five bookings, for an undisclosed fee. Makosso recently had his first two outings in English football, playing for Luton’s U21s in their Premier League Cup matches against Reading and Brighton & Hove Albion, as asked how he has got on since arriving in Bedfordshire, Bloomfield said: “He’s trained really well.

"He came into the football club before I got here, he’s adapting to the environment and the new country and everything else that goes with it as a young player, but he’s got good potential. He’s been training really, really well, there’s not loads of evidence since he’s been over here, so now we’ve got to build him to a place where he can go and perform and contribute for us. Especially with central defenders when they’re young, it’s hard to find the right time and it’s key to find the right time to put him in.

"If you do it too early it can really damage their progress, but we can’t wait too long either, when it’s right we’ll give him an opportunity. I think the aim is long term for the football club, but if he’s presenting the facts and the evidence that he’s ready to go, then if you’re good enough you’re old enough in my book. I love young players that are ready to go, but we need to make sure that the timing’s right for him.”