Luton chief hopes Fanne is a success in Italy as he reveals duo often had 'healthy disagreements'

Luton boss Jack Wilshere has wished midfielder Lamine Fanne the best of luck after his move to Serie B side Venezia recently, after revealing the pair often had ‘healthy disagreements’ over where he saw himself playing in the starting XI at Kenilworth Road.

The 22-year-old joined the Hatters when they were a Championship side back in the summer of 2024 from Swedish top flight AIK under then manager Rob Edwards, but didn’t head to Bedfordshire permanently until the new year, getting his first outing in the 2-1 defeat to QPR which was Edwards’ last game in charge.

When Matt Bloomfield took over, Fanne made just seven league starts, but once Wilshere was appointed in October of last year, Fanne became a first team regular, as he went on to score two goals and gain three assists in those 18 outings. However, there were often rumours that the Senegalese-born player might be leaving the club during his time in England, and they intensified during the summer and winter windows, especially after he was left out of the squad following Wilshere’s public criticism of his efforts in the 2-1 Vertu Trophy defeat against Swindon Town last month.

With speculation increasing Venezia would be his next port of call, that move was then completed after Town’s 1-0 win over Blackpool, a game in which Fanne once more didn’t feature in, as he was immediately sent out on loan to fellow Italian second tier outfit Delfino Pescara 1936, currently sitting bottom of the table, making his debut when coming off the bench in a 2-0 defeat to Cesena at the weekend, and then started last yesterday’s 2-0 home loss to US Catanzaro, booked and replaced just before the hour mark.

With Luton allowing nine players to leave on loan during the window, the midfielder was one of just two, along with Marvelous Nakamba, who departed for good, as asked about his decision to make Italy his home on a full-time basis, speaking on Friday, Wilshere said: “Lamine is someone I had a good relationship with, we were open with each other. When I first came in, I spoke highly of him and how important he was when we were playing a certain way, then we changed the style a little bit and wanted to dominate the ball a bit more, and we had a few disagreements, healthy disagreements on where he sees himself playing.

"I’ve said that if he stays, I’ll be happy to help him and try to develop him into what I see him as, but also open if he wants to leave and be in a different environment, a different league, to probably play in a position that he sees more suitable for him, then good for him. Genuinely I wish him all the best, he was a top, top lad who gave everything. I was disappointed with his attitude in the Swindon game and he responded really well and good luck to him.”