Luton loan former Spurs youngster to Irish Cup winners Cliftonville

Luton youngster Axel Piesold has joined Northern Ireland Premiership side Clifonville on loan for the 2024-25 campaign.

The 19-year-old, who was born in Muswell Hill, came through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur having moved to the north London academy at the age of seven, and then had a spell with Dunstable Town, before joining the Hatters in February 2023. He signed a professional development contract a month later, having been involved on the bench when Luton lost 3-0 to Grimsby Town in the FA Cup.

Piesold was involved in Town’s Premier League campaign last season, named in the match-day squad for a number of top flight matches in the latter stages of the campaign with Luton suffering a huge injury crisis. Having been involved in the U21s and featuring in the 3-1 loss at League Two Port Vale last week, the teenager will now go to Solitude for the upcoming campaign.

He joins a side that finished third last season, and also lifted the Irish Cup for the first time in 45 years when beating Linfield 3-1, although missed out on UEFA Europa Conference League qualification in July. The Reds are managed by former Southampton, Oxford and Ipswich midfielder Jim Magilton, who was also capped 52 times by Northern Ireland, with over 550 professional games under his belt. Piesold will be looking to make his debut when Cliftonville start their season at home to Portadown on Sunday.

» Jayden Luker scored as Luton’s U21s lost out 4-1 to National League South side Slough Town on Tuesday night. With Aidan Francis-Clarke in the side along with Aribim Pepple, Luker netted in the second period to earn the Hatters a consolation strike. The U21s had also lost 4-0 against National League North outfit Kings Lynn Town at the weekend, while Town’s U18s drew 2-2 at Colchester United’s U18s on Saturday, Matthew Takawira and a trialist scoring.