Chairboys interim boss insists Luton target Kone is 'committed' to Wycombe

In-demand striker Richard Kone remains ‘committed’ to Wycombe Wanderers according to Chairboys interim manager Sam Grace, despite some serious reported interest in his signature from Luton Town.

The 21-year-old has netted 17 times for the Adams Park club this term, with all but one of those goals coming when Hatters manager Matt Bloomfield was in charge of the club. It was Bloomfield who gave him his Football League chance too, snapping the forward up from Essex Senior League Athletic Newham in January 2024, and since moving to Kenilworth Road to take over from Rob Edwards, speculation that he will return to Buckinghamshire for his former player has increased, as Town CEO Gary Sweet spoke of ‘sizeable bids’ already being placed in the January transfer window.

Kone, who has 21 goals in 57 appearances after joining Wycombe, was named on the bench at the weekend, coming on for the final 23 minutes as Wanderers were held to a goalless draw by Northampton Town, although still remain in the League One automatic promotion places. Speaking to the Bucks Free Press, Grace who is leading the team at the moment, until a permanent manager is appointed, said: “He’s a committed player.

“Dan Rice, the director of football, is in charge of all of that (transfers) and I think it’s important to say that Rich is committed as well. You want players that want to play for your club, and Richard wants Wycombe to get promoted. He wants to play for Wycombe in the Championship. If he was unhappy, he wouldn’t have been on the bench so I don’t think he’s unsettled. The way he played when we came on doesn’t look like an unsettled player. He’s sharp, he wants to learn and he’s ready to come on when asked.”

Since taking over, Bloomfield has regularly been questioned about the possibility of bringing in his former player, but has always refused to discuss the individual, adding: “I just don’t think it’s right for me to comment on other people’s players. When he was my player I could talk about him all I liked and earlier in the window, we had some interest in one or two of our players at Wycombe and I said that I didn’t think it was right for other managers to comment on it. I’m not trying to dodge the question, I just don’t think it’s right for me to comment on other players. There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we’ll try and do what’s right.”