Hatters boss 'loving' first taste of what he expects to be a 'busy' transfer window

Luton boss Jack Wilshere insisted he is ‘loving’ his first experience of the transfer window as a manager, as he anticipates there will be a ‘busy’ final few weeks at Kenilworth Road.

The Town chief has had personal encounters of the month when he was a player, as at Arsenal he headed on loan to Bolton Wanderers in January 2010, before later in his career joining Bournemouth for a second time during this time of the campaign. Wilshere was then first team coach at Norwich City in the 2024-25 season, although not responsible for making new additions, but now in charge of the Hatters, is just over a week into his maiden voyage of a time when football clubs up and down the Football League pyramid can do business once more.

So far, Town have brought in Manchester City youngster Emilio Lawrence on loan until May, while letting striker Lasse Nordas join SC Heerenveen until the end of the season, which means that they have three spaces available in the squad, although that number could change if they choose not to register the injured Shandon Baptiste, with a decision also to be made on whether to keep winger Ethon Archer in Bedfordshire as well, having just returned from Cheltenham Town.

Asked just how he was finding it, Wilshere said: “I’m actually loving it, I’m really enjoying it, speaking to players, presenting to players, trying to convince players. I’ve enjoyed it, so far. It’s the ninth today so we’re still just a third into it and there’s a long way to go and I’m learning. Yes (it could be busy). We’re working away, probably that’s why I look knackered. We’re trying to make the squad better.

"You hear me talk a lot about variation in attack and I think Emilio’s added that. Cohen’s (Bramall) been excellent on the left for us and he’s one type of player where Emilio’s a different type of player, so we’ve got the option of both now. We probably need that in a few other positions as well. We had got into quite a nice rhythm, especially at home, but I always think the more variations in attack you have the more dangerous you can be, so we’re looking."

Questioned as to just how the strategy for bringing players in works behind the scenes at the Brache, Wilshere continued: “The recruitment team are working hard, they send me a list of names and a list of targets that they’ve been looking at either for a long time or a short time. I will obviously have some ideas as well and some players that I know and it works both ways.

"We come together, we’ve probably had four of five meetings where we’re discussing all the options, what it might mean for this player, or that player, so it’s been a busy time but one that we’re embracing and enjoying. The club in the summer recruited a lot of players and they had to because of the situation that we were in, so we’re always assessing. There’s a big list of players that they picked from in the summer that is still there, so we’ve got some work to do, but we’ll do it together.”

While most of the discussions are around bolstering a squad that is currently sitting eighth in the table, four points away from the play-offs following the 1-0 defeat at Exeter City on New Year’s Day, then seeing Nordas depart, and a number of the U21s move away for an opportunity to play first team football, Wilshere insisted that a number of his players are being sought after.

On whether there has been any interest, he said: “There has. I won’t name names, but I think that’s a good sign as well. I think that’s a sign of a team and a club that’s progressing. When we sit in these meetings, probably the first thing we do is assess our squad, who’s interested, what that would then mean for them, so there’s some interest in some of our players.”

With Luton adding Lawrence and having Archer back too, it means they have a plethora of wingers at their disposal now, as the likes of Shayden Morris, Izzy Jones, Milli Alli, Gideon Kodua and Jake Richards can all play there, along with Jacob Brown too. It means that there could be an exit in that area of the pitch too, as Wilshere added: “We’ve added competition. Of course part of my job is to manage the squad and make sure that the players are happy. I think that’s a big thing and I always felt that.

"I know this is my first experience of being in that situation but I was a player and I’ve been in the situation where there’s a lot of players in your position and I’ve been in the position where there’s not so many. I think the players kind of get the feel as well and they understand it. I try to be as open as I can with whoever that is, so there’s competition and there could be some movement as well.”