Edwards still after new signings but reiterates returning quintet will make Luton much stronger

Hatters boss Rob Edwards has reiterated that despite working hard to bolster his squad for the upcoming Championship campaign, he won’t be making too many new signings due the five players he has on their way back from long-term injuries.

Ahead of Monday’s opener against Burnley, Luton are waiting for Amari’i Bell, Mads Andersen, Marvelous Nakamba, Reece Burke and Jacob Brown to regain full fitness, and although it won’t be in time for that contest with the Clarets, it might not be too long afterwards for a few of them. With the transfer window in full swing, Edwards can understand supporters wanting to see new additions announced, but speaking to the press, he said: “That’s the challenge we’ve got and I don’t go online or look for it, but I maybe hear little bits and people are always going to want, ‘where’s the signing, where’s this, where’s that?’

"We are working hard to bring in a couple, but I have to stress this, we don’t need loads. We did a lot of our work last season and clearly we’ve got some really big players to come back and help us as well. So we will get stronger over these next few weeks, there’s just no doubt about that with the rest of those players, and we will get one or two in, there’s no doubt about that either.

“I understand it too. They want to see a team that is looking to try and progress and improve constantly and that’s what we’re doing, I get it. I’m not trying to be negative and say we don’t, we need a couple to help us and strengthen us and that’s happening, but remember those five or six that we’ve got to come back in as well, so in a few weeks time we will be in a really good place. People will be wanting to get one or two in, I just need people to understand that we don’t need loads and we’re working hard on it.”

With Nakamba a star as Luton won promotion from the Championship, while Burke and Bell proved their Premier League qualities last term, Edwards knows how important that trio can be this term. Andersen was in the League One Team of the Season before moving to Luton, while with Scottish international Brown scoring double figures while at fellow second tier outfit Stoke City two seasons ago, it demonstrates just what standard of player Town will be welcoming back.

Edwards continued: “Those two (Nakamba and Brown), Amari’i, Burke is so important for us, we know that don’t we. Mads has been so unlucky so far, but can be, I think, colossal for us, especially in this league. The way he defends the box, the way he puts his body on the line, the way he plays, there’s no doubt he’ll be a big influence for us this season. So there’s some really big ones to come back and help us as well. It’s been a frustrating period as we’ve been saying it since January, so I’m like a broken record.”