Luton linked with a move to bring in Burton Albion forward Beesley

Luton Town have been linked with another forward during the January transfer window, as they are tipped to be battling it out with fellow League One side Bradford City for the signature of Burton Albion striker Jake Beesley.

The Hatters have struggled for goals throughout the season, Jerry Yates and Nahki Wells netting just four goals between them in the league, with only two of them coming from open play, which saw midfielder Jordan Clark forced to play in the number nine role during last night’s 1-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town, Yates not even included on the bench.

Although on-loan Ipswich attacker Ali Al-Hamadi is now back, playing 20 minutes against the Terriers yesterday evening, the Iraq international will need take time to get fully match-fit, while Elijah Adebayo is still not ready to return from his long-term knee injury and Jacob Brown clearly out of favour, then Town need to boost their threat in the final third, as having drawn another blank on the road, they are facing a huge battle to even make even the play-offs now, finding themselves six points away from the top six with just 18 games left after a fifth defeat from six away matches.

After being linked with Port Vale forward Devante Cole by Sky Sports yesterday, a rumour that Hatters boss Jack Wilshere discussed in his post match press conference at the Accu Stadium, Luton are now rumoured to be after the 29-year-old Beesley, who came through at Chesterfield in January 2014 as he had loan spells with Salford City, Boston United, Bradford PA and Solihull Moors, heading to the latter permanently in August 2020.

Beesley was signed by Rochdale a month later, scoring 19 goals in 56 appearances while at Spotland, earning a move to then Championship-side Blackpool in January 2022 as he netted 16 times in 77 matches for the Tangerines, heading to the Pirelli Stadium in the summer for an undisclosed fee when penning a two-year contract, and this term has bagged nine League One goals in 26 matches, including a run of four in his last seven outings.

The striker was also on target against his former side Blackpool in a 1-0 win for the Brewers back in November, which led his manager Gary Bowyer, who himself used to be the manager at Bloomfield Road, tell the East Anglian Daily Times: “I’m absolutely buzzing for him scoring against his old club. Their fans were giving him a bit so I’m delighted he got his goal. What Jake gives us, you can’t measure. People will judge him by his goals because he is a striker but everything else, the work and the effort he puts in – I will never ever question that lad and he is a phenomenal human being.”

However, with just a few days left on the January transfer window, then a report by Football League World said: “FLW has learned that Bradford and Luton are both eyeing a move for Beesley in the coming days. However, a deal may not prove easy, as it's understood that a number of unnamed League One rivals hold similar admiration and could gazump any potential swoop for the 29-year-old.

“Beesley has received no shortage of interest after hitting the ground running at Burton following his summer switch from third-tier rivals Blackpool. The former Rochdale and Solihull Moors frontman endured a mixed three-and-a-half year stay with the Tangerines but has made a real impact since returning to the Midlands, having registered nine goals and four assists from 26 league appearances at the time of writing.

"Burton's lowly position of 20th - only above 21st-placed Doncaster Rovers by virtue of goal difference - means that they won't be looking to part ways on the cheap, with Beesley's goals capable of keeping the Brewers afloat. He's under contract until the end of next season, too, while Burton also hold an optional one-year extension clause, though Bradford and Luton could well look to test the Brewers' resolve imminently.”