Jones calls on Wales boss Rob Page to take 'phenomenal' Luton defender Lockyer to the World Cup

Tom Lockyer, right, sings the national anthem during Wales' UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier with Croatia in October 2019

Centre half is in the form of his life for Luton

Luton boss Nathan Jones believes that in-form defender Tom Lockyer fully deserves to be named in Wales head coach Rob Page’s squad for the World Cup Finals later this week.

The 27-year-old is in the form of his life at the moment, playing a starring role in the Hatters’ 1-0 win at Blackpool yesterday, producing a terrific defensive display.

The Cardiff-born defender has won 14 caps for his country, and was part of the Euro 2020 Finals squad, although didn’t get on in any of the matches, his last appearance for Wales coming in a 0-0 friendly against Finland back in September 2021.

In Page’s last squad for the Nations League matches against Belgium and Poland, he named centre halves Ben Cabango, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Chris Mepham in the squad.

Cabango has played 16 games for Swansea this term, with four clean sheets, just one in his last nine games, why Rodon is currently on loan from Spurs at Rennes, with 14 Ligue 1 and Europa League appearances, keeping two shut-outs.

Chelsea’s Ampadu is spending the season with Serie A side Spezia, without a clean sheet yet in his nine league and cup matches, with Mepham having played 14 Premier League matches for newly-promoted Bournemouth, helping the Cherries to three clean sheets.

Lockyer meanwhile, has now started 14 out of Luton’s last 15 games, with yesterday’s clean sheet the seventh he has managed in that time, as Jones, a proud Welshman himself, believes he should definitely be heading out to Qatar, saying: “Listen, if I was Rob Page, Rob’s a friend of mine, we grew up together, he’s doing a wonderful job so you can’t tell him, but I’m not sure there’s four better Welsh defenders than Tom Lockyer.

“I really hope he goes, as he deserves it, he’s been outstanding for us, absolutely outstanding.

“Defending your box, out and out defensively, he’s been phenomenal, really, really has.

"He’s grown into it, a real leader, the lads trust him, he can captain the football club, he’s been that.

"He’s just aggressive in what he does, wants to go up against people and has just come into his own in recent weeks.

"We’ve had a lot of injuries to centre halves, but he’s just been magnificent.”