Eight youngsters pen professional contracts with the Hatters

Luton Town have announced that eight of their U18s squad have agreed professional contracts with the Hatters.

They include Northern Ireland duo Dylan Stitt and Sam Anderson, with Stitt having featured for his country in their UEFA U19 Euro qualifying campaign this season, along with academy graduates Zach Ioannides, Jamie Odegah, Oliver Pipa, Lucas Thomas, Charlie Trustram and Tate Xavier-Jones, who have all put pen to paper as well.

U21 players Claude Kayibanda and Jack Lorentzen-Jones, the latter finishing the campaign on loan with National League South side Hemel Hempstead Town, have accepted extended terms to remain at Kenilworth Road, with discussions currently ongoing with winger Joshua Phillips, who, after a spell on loan at Bath City, made his first team debut in the 2-0 Championship defeat at Bristol City on Boxing Day.

However, Town have released four players after their contracts expired, with Axel Piesold, who was on the bench in the Premier League for Luton nine times and spent the season on loan with Irish Premier League side Cliftonville, leaving, along with Jack Bateson, the defender borrowed by National League South side Farnborough. They join Dominic Dos Santos Martins, the young midfielder, who was named in two match-day squads in the top flight for Luton, spending time with Hitchin Town recently and Tyrell Giwa in departing.

A number of the club’s U16s have also been offered first-year scholarships, Rufus Barnes, Excel Ed-Okungbowa, Nassim El Gourja, Finley Evans, Luca Knote-Reed, Jerome Passley-James and Luke Takawira, plus striker Dawid Gawel, who will join as a scholar after leaving Premier League side Everton. Leaving the academy at the end of their scholarships though are Charlie Emery, Isaiah Harvey, Cai Hockey and Matthew Takawira as a club statement said: “We thank all of the players who are leaving us for their service to the Club at all levels, and wish them the very best for their future careers.”