Luton boss will make a late decision in the transfer window on whether to loan out Pereira

Winger has impressed since returning for pre-season
Town winger Dion PereiraTown winger Dion Pereira
Town winger Dion Pereira

Luton manager Nathan Jones will leave it late until deciding whether to send winger Dion Pereira out on loan again this season.

The 23-year-old was one of Town’s most consistent performers during pre-season, getting a number of minutes under his belt and then making the match-day squad for Luton’s Championship opener against Birmingham City.

He wasn’t taken to Burnley, left behind to ensure he was fresh for Tuesday night’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Newport County, where, although playing out of position as a left wing-back, still got an assist to his name when finding Tom Lockyer to slot into the top corner early in the second half.

Pereira was loaned out twice last term, an injury-hit move to Yeovil where he played just one, and then a more successful stint with League Two Bradford City, scoring once in 10 games, the Bantams fans quickly taking him to their hearts.

With the transfer window shutting in three weeks time, when asked if the former Atlanta United will be going out again, or could make an impact in the second tier this term, Jones said: “He’s right on the periphery.

"He’s done really well in pre-season and really impacted and shown that he has real quality and we can use that, so it’s a late decision on him.

"A lot will depend on the interest we get in him as if we don’t get anything suitable then 100 per cent he will stay here.

"We’ve had a few that would take him, it’s just whether that is right for him at this point.”

Pereira had struggled with game time and injury last season, playing just once for the Hatters in the Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Stevenage, then going to Huish Park in October, but only played one match for the Glovers, before having to return home.

After catching the eye at Valley Parade, he has really knuckled down at the Brache once more and is reaping the benefits, as Jones added: “He always impresses in training, he always does stuff and he always affects the training session.

"It’s about is he going to get enough minutes to keep him moving forward? That’s what the decision is.

“You can keep everyone around if they all get minutes and they all stay fit and potent then it’d be brilliant.

"But we have to understand that not everyone can play and invariably people will start to lose a little bit of that zest and that zip and that’s why they go out on loan.”