Jamaican international could feature straight away for Luton at Pilgrims

Luton boss Jack Wilshere has declared new signing Kasey Palmer is ready to feature for the Hatters when they make the trip to Plymouth Argyle tomorrow.

The 29-year-old became Town’s second new addition of the transfer window on Thursday, leaving Hull City and penning a loan deal until the end of the season at Kenilworth Road. After playing 31 times for the Tigers last term, and with 11 outings consisting of 421 minutes of football this season, including turning out three times for Jamaica, asked whether he is in the right condition to earn an immediate place in Luton’s match-day squad at the weekend, Wilshere, who also has games against Huddersfield Town and Blackpool to consider next week as well, said: “He’s a top signing, a player that I’ve known through the years.

"We’ve got a mutual friend as well that makes you watch him even more who played with him and what he brings to the team is clear in my opinion, his experience of playing at a higher level. Of course this is the first time he’s played at League One and we had to convince him to do that as he’s still hungry, he’s still ambitious and that’s the drive for him. That is a good thing in January when the signings you’re looking for in January are not quite working out at the club they’re at.

"He has played enough minutes this season to be fit and be ready to play, but also probably has a point to prove for himself. He can step in and help hopefully straight away. He’s been training now for two days, different training sessions as we’re preparing for the game, but you can see the quality he has and the way he’s going to help us, maybe tomorrow. We’re also going into a busy week where it’s Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, so we have to manage minutes and make sure that we prioritise Plymouth. We’ll go there to try and win the game, but also make sure we’re fresh enough and ready to go again on Tuesday.”

Asked what kind of position will suit Palmer, who has won 22 caps for Jamaica after playing for England at U17s to U21s level earlier in his career, best, Wilshere continued: “I think in modern day football you seem to be a six, a 10 or an eight. Of course each role is different, but I think Kasey is one who probably can do all of them. If I was pushed on it he’s probably more of an attacking midfielder, but I think he has the ability to drop down, receive the ball, turn the game forward.

"Physically he has the ability to be deeper and then arrive in the box, so he can do all of them, but I think his main position will be attacking. He gives you more threat, gives you more threat from set-pieces. He’s a presence, he’s a big lad, he’s strong, he’s quick, he can run and he has technical ability, so if you add all of those things together that will naturally give you a threat.

"We’ll have to help him find his rhythm a bit. I know he’s played some games, he’s actually probably played more than he has this season over the last couple of weeks, but we have to get him to understand what we want from him and allow him also to have the moments of magic, creativity and change of rhythm sometimes for us. So we’re excited, but also we’re patient as well.”

Palmer has already seen just what the Hatters can achieve, as he came on for Coventry City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley back in May 2023, when 40,000 Town supporters cheered their side on to the Premier League. Although they have fallen back to League One since then, and the new boy still has bad memories of that clash at the home of English football, Wilshere hopes he can help Town on their attempted ascent back up the leagues, adding: “He didn’t want to talk about that (play-off final), he was still upset about that.

"He was hungry to come here, that’s one thing I felt when we had our first conversation. He’s stepping down a level and of course you have to convince a player to do that, but he wouldn’t have gone to any other club in League One unless it was this club. I think that’s credit to everyone at the club and the size of the club and where it’s been over the last few years and it also shows that we’ve got the ambition to get back there quick.

“The selling point for him was to take us back to the Championship and see where we are at that point, but really happy we’ve got him in the building. We’ve had two signings now, two very different signings, one a kid looking for experience, looking to help us as well, but looking for experience and I think you can feel the difference when the two players walk through the door.

"One where players are looking and saying to Emilio (Lawrence), ‘come on then, show us what you can do,’ but then Kasey walks through the door and you can see the presence he has and the respect he demands straight away. He’ll help us, he’s a good personality as well, a good character and will fit in straight away to what we want to do here, but ultimately help us on the pitch.”