Luton boss explains Pereira's return from brief loan spell at Yeovil

Luton boss Nathan Jones has explained why attacker Dion Pereira’s loan spell at National League side Yeovil Town was cut short after just one game.

The 22-year-old headed to Huish Park for a month on October 8, making his debut in the 2-0 home defeat against Notts County, where he played the full 90 minutes.

He wasn't involved in the next match, with Jones stating he had returned to Kenilworth Road with a slight injury, although Glovers manager Darren Sarll later admitted he didn't expect Pereira to be back after the forward had reported feeling 'massively fatigued' following his maiden appearance.

The ex-Atalanta United player was at Kenilworth Road for the club's open training day on Tuesday, as when asked about his return, Jones said: “There wasn’t a difference of opinion, we trust Yeovil, they’re a good club with good people there.

"Things happened when he went there and he didn’t feel right.

"So, if he didn’t feel right, he’s not going to produce and we’re not going to get the maximum benefit out of it.

“We prefer to have him back here to work with our medical people, not because they’re any better than Yeovil’s but because they know Dion.

“Dion’s had a period of regeneration with us and he’ll be ready to play again in probably days.

“He’s a young player and we have to be responsible for that.

"We’ve got a duty of care for him, so that’s why we took over that. It’s no disrespect to Yeovil in any way, but he’s our player and we’ve done that.

“We did it with Josh Neufville, who had a serious injury when he went there, so we’ve taken that over, but they look after players at Yeovil.

“I was there and we did and people like Terry Skiverton, who’s there now, does.

"We’ve got no issue with Yeovil, it’s just that we wanted Dion to come back and work with us.”

With Pereira having only played twice for the Hatters since being promoted from the development squad last season, his only appearance this season term coming in the Carabao Cup, when asked if he will be looked to sent out again when the window opens in January, Jones added: "It’s got to be beneficial.

"We believe Dion could comfortably play at League One and League Two level, but the window had shut so we weren’t able to send him out.

"But he needs games, he needs mental stimulation as well.

‘We wanted him to go to a good club, so I actually rang Yeovil to see if they wanted him.

"It was a categorical ‘yes’. He’s worked with the manager before and it was a chance over the international break to get five or six games in that time and then three or four this month.

"If he did really well, it means he would’ve been in the shop window to put him back out in January. That’s probably what he needs now.”