Hatters boss wants to be fully involved in Luton's January transfer window plans

Luton boss Jack Wilshere wants to make sure he is fully involved in any discussions over the club’s recruitment policy ahead of the upcoming January transfer window which opens in a few weeks time.

Having made 14 signings in the summer when previous manager Matt Bloomfield in charge, the Hatters were still left with a number of glaring gaps in the squad, particularly at full back, with only Reuell Walters, who was injured during the second game of the season at Peterborough United and has only just returned recently, a genuine option to play on the right.

There was also precious little back-up on the left either, Alfie Doughty sold to Millwall just a few days before the campaign began and Joe Johnson requiring hamstring surgery, with Cohen Bramall joining on the eve of the opening match against AFC Wimbledon, but without any kind of pre-season under his belt meaning he took a number of weeks to get back to full fitness.

Upfront is also a major concern for Town, as they thought they’d cracked it by bringing in Iraq forward Ali Al-Hamadi on loan from Ipswich Town, only see him feature just twice off the bench after eventually recovering from a calf issue, only to then pick up another injury while on international duty which rules him out until the new year.

With Elijah Adebayo also yet to come back from a serious knee injury, then the likes of Jerry Yates and Nahki Wells have both struggled for league goals, netting just three between them, two of them penalties, while Lasse Nordas, with one goal to his name, hasn’t started a third tier fixture under Wilshere. Town already have three places available to strengthen if they wish, as they only named a 19-man senior squad back in September, midfielder Shandon Baptiste left out after suffering serious ACL damage in August.

Asked if he will be heavily involved in any meetings regarding bringing players in when the window opens on Thursday, January 1, closing at 7pm on Monday, February 2, Wilshere said: “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s something that I think the head coach should be involved in and should be involved in those discussions because of course you’d like to think I probably know how I want to play and the players that would suit that style best.

"But we also understand that we’ve got some really good players here and some players that can do the style and can play the style. It’s been eight, nine weeks since I’ve been here. We’re trying to build an identity, which I think we’ve done a little bit. We can definitely be more consistent with that, but in answer to your question, I think probably yes.”

Having been in charge for two months now, and giving every player from his senior squad a chance bar Adebayo and Baptiste, then asked if he has been continually assessing his playing personnel to work out where the reinforcements are needed, Wilshere added: “I wouldn’t say to see who we need in or out, it’s probably a constant job of a coach and staff to see where the players are at, see who can play, see who’s in the best moment to play, their mindset, their mentality and of course their form.

“So of course I’m assessing the squad always, but it’s been a busy couple of months and we haven’t really had time to sit down and think about January. Of course there’s people at the club who do that anyway and I’m sure the meetings will come sooner rather than later, but we’re assessing the squad always, not to necessarily see who we need to get in or who we need to get out, but more who can help the team?”