Jerome tips hard-working Hatters star Adebayo to ‘comfortably’ make Premier League step up in the future

Experienced Luton attacker Cameron Jerome believes that team-mate Elijah Adebayo is destined for the very top in the not too distant future.

The 35-year-old is in a better position than most to judge too, as over his 18-year career, he spent seven seasons in the top flight, making 211 appearances and scoring 32 goals.

There has been plenty of talk around the meteoric rise of Adebayo recently, with defender Kal Naismith saying he was already a Premier League striker, while skipper Sonny Bradley has also gone on record to state the forward was destined for the bright lights of the top division.

He certainly showed that could be the case at the weekend, with a goal out of nothing in the FA Cup third round triumph over Harrogate Town to make it 11 for the season from just 21 outings.

When asked just how good he could be, Jerome said: “I think he has to remain focused, keep his feet on the ground and he has a great chance of going all the way.

“He has the attributes needed to play in the top flight, whether that is with this club or another team, that’ll be up to him and how far he goes.

“I suppose luck and timing as well but he definitely has the attributes to play at the top level.

“He probably needs a bit more at this level before he takes that step but when he does, I think he’ll take that step quite comfortably.”

Boss Nathan Jones has spoken of just how diligent the former Walsall and Swindon forward is in training, and Jerome was quick to echo those thoughts, pointing to the amount he does behind the scenes at the Brache.

Coupled with the extra work, Adebayo is eager to listen and learn from a forward who has over 600 senior games under his belt, as Jerome added; “Me and Elijah work really closely, I try not to force things on him in terms of saying ‘do this, do that, but Elijah is really good, he has such a good work ethic and a great attitude and application.

“Naturally I ask ‘what do you think to this or that?’ I say it as it is and he’s got such an appetite in terms of wanting to better himself and improve as a player personally, it just turns to normal conversation.

“In terms of what the management staff do with him, the gaffer, Chris (Cohen, first team coach) and Mick (Harford, assistant manager), there are a lot of people he can lean on, ask questions.

“He looks back at a lot of his clips, looking at his game, how he can improve and get a bit more of an edge.

“Some of the work he does in the afternoon, not a lot of people see.

“The gaffer will take him for sessions in the afternoon because he has that appetite and desire to get better and improve which is a breath of fresh air to see someone at that age now in this day and age.

“He has such a good appetite to work and succeed, which is nice to see.”