Hatters may let young trio head out on loan

Luton manager Nathan Jones may look to loan out young trio Dion Pereira, Elliot Thorpe and Josh Neufville if he feels it will further benefit their development.

Pereira, 23, who joined Town in November 2020, has made two senior appearances for the Hatters, finishing last term on loan with League Two Bradford City, impressing the Bantams fans during his 10 outings, netting one goal too.

Neufville, 21, rejoined National League side Yeovil Town in March for a second spell once he had recovered from a long term ankle injury, going on to score once in 11 games.

Thorpe, 21, snapped up after his release from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2021, has played once for Luton in the FA Cup, while also being named in a handful of match-day squads too.

He featured for Wales U21 over the summer, but with Jones looking to add five more players to his side ahead of the season starting next month, it might be that the trio head out to make room for the incomings.

Speaking yesterday, the boss said: “We’ve got a lot of young players here, we’re really establishing the football club and with Paul Hart’s appointment in the academy, the U23 group is now stronger.

“That will filter all the way through the age groups, there’s a clear way of thinking now with the academy, it's aligned with what we do, and it’s strengthened all that.

“By doing that we can afford to one, keep young players in the building and not necessarily let them go out on loan, but there’s some at the point that they may need to.

“Dion Pereira may need a loan, Elliot Thorpe may need a loan, Josh Neufville, we’ve had a lot of interest in him, but if they don’t go out then they’ll be in and around our group and get game time in the 23s as well.

“So we’re in a real good position at the minute and we want to continue to get better.”