Hatters boss to make a decision on whether to sign ex-Everton and Swansea midfielder

Luton manager Rob Edwards will make a decision on whether to sign ex-Everton youngster Liam Walsh on a free transfer after the midfielder has been training with the Hatters for the past few weeks.

The 26-year-old is currently without a club after being released by Swansea City in the summer following a three year stint in Wales where he played just 34 times, scoring twice. Walsh had come through the ranks at Goodison Park, winning the Premier League 2 title and was shortlisted for the league's Player of the Year award as well.

He moved on loan to Yeovil in January 2016, playing 17 times and scoring once, that goal coming at Kenilworth Road as the Glovers earned a 1-1 draw in League Two. Walsh then played twice for the Toffees’ U21s in the Football League Trophy during the 2016-17 season, before a temporary move the following campaign to Birmingham City, featuring three times.

The midfielder joined Bristol City on a permanent basis in January 2018 for a fee of around £1m, playing 22 times for the Robins, also having a loan move to Coventry in September 2019, where he made 34 appearances, scoring four goals for the Sky Blues. Walsh was on the move once more in July 2021, heading to Swansea City on a free transfer, also heading to Hull on loan in January 2022, playing three times.

After watching Town’s 4-1 defeat at Burnley on Monday night, Edwards, who has been a long-time admirer of the player, said of a potential deal: “He’s been training for a couple of weeks and now we want to try and get to the point where we will make a decision which will be either way. I’ve always liked him as a footballer.

"I remember he was at Everton when I first retired from playing and seeing him play against Man City in the U16s and I’ve always known him. He’s been in my head since then, so he’s been in for a couple of weeks. What I don’t want to do and what I’ve said to Liam as well, we don’t want to prolong things and take the mick so to speak. I want to be sure that we’re fair to him but we want to make the right decision for the football club as well.”

Walsh has suffered a number of hamstring problems during his career, also rupturing his Achilles in a pre-season friendly for Swansea in July 2022 which kept him out for a significant period. Asked about the injuries and what kind of talent the former England U16s and U18s player is, Edwards continued: “He’s incredibly good with the ball, very intelligent, someone who can receive under pressure, a really good range of passing, really intelligent footballer. There’s a lot of quality there, that’s why we’ve had him in for a few weeks to be able to get to know him, get a good understanding of where he’s at as well."

With assistant boss Richie Kyle having helped out with Everton’s academy earlier in his career, then the Town backroom staff member also already knew of Walsh, adding: “Richie is aware of him. All people from Liverpool seem to know each other anyway, so Richie knows him. You can see them having a chat in a language that no-one really gets, but they’re getting on well those two.”