Hatters CEO reveals late business could be best for Luton in 'random' transfer window

Town chief executive Gary Sweet believes Luton had to go against their tried and tested policy of doing business early in the transfer window to get their best signings this summer.

​The Hatters have traditionally been a club that likes to have their new additions in place ahead of the campaign kicking off to give them the maximum time to integrate with their new team-mates before the action gets underway. However, that has not been the case this term, as despite the club's injury list still being a fairly hefty one, with six first team players missing Monday’s 4-1 defeat to Burnley, only two have arrived at Kenilworth Road this summer, former Brentford midfielder Shandon Baptiste, and ex-Arsenal youngster Reuell Walters.

Edwards has constantly mentioned his desire to bring in one or two new players, but that hasn’t been the case so far, despite Town’s budget having been boosted by their Premier League adventure, plus selling Ross Barkley to Aston Villa for around £5m, and offloading Ryan Giles to Hull City as well. Writing in his pre-match programme notes, Sweet said: “The wider recruitment team have been working tirelessly to conclude a couple of key signings in what has been possibly one of the most random of transfer windows we gave experienced in recent years.

“Whilst we expected change, a number of factors have attributed such a quiet window to date. Naturally the European Championships have impacted the timing of activity but the very real threat of points deductions looming over clubs in the Premier League and ongoing impact of Profit & Sustainability rules across all levels of our sport are beginning to be seen seriously, ultimately resulting in the best business to concluded late rather than early, as is our usual strategy.”

With a number of supporters getting increasingly frustrated about the lack of new additions, Town gave three teenagers their full league debuts against the Clarets, in Zack Nelson, Joe Johnson and Walters. There were two more on the bench, Christian Chigozie and Aidan Francis-Clarke, but Sweet called for patience, pointing to the fact Town have only really had to sell Barkley so far, the England international heading to Aston Villa after his starring 12 months at Kenilworth Road.

He added: “More importantly, if there’s one thing 32 transfer windows have taught me - don’t panic. A signing is a long-term commitment, not just for a game or two. However, the primary objective remains to keep our talented squad together. If we sell, it’s to sell to improve - not because we have to. It’s worth noting that of the 14 players we recruited last season, 10 still remain with us, all of whom were brought to the club with the Premier League in mind, let alone Championship football.”