New Hatters signings Baptiste and Walters start for Luton against Göztepe

Luton boss Rob Edwards will get a first look at his two summer signings Shandon Baptiste and Reuell Walters after both were named in the Hatters XI to take on Turkish Süper Lig side Göztepe in Slovenia this afternoon.

Baptiste, 26, arrived at Kenilworth Road earlier this month, putting pen to paper with the Hatters after his contract with Brentford expired in the summer. He was soon joined by 19-year-old Walters after the England U20 international rejected a new deal to stay with Premier League runners-up Arsenal and leave in search of more regular first team football.

The pair make up a strong looking side selected by Edwards, with Alfie Doughty, Chiedozie Ogbene and Elijah Adebayo starting, as Tom Holmes continues to build up his minutes, although Carlton Morris won’t add to his three goals in pre-season, as he misses out, with centre half Teden Mengi absent once more as well.

Discussing the signing of Baptiste recently, the Hatters boss said: “He’s a really good signing for us, a really exciting player, he gives us more strength in that midfield area as well. He’s a really good footballer, everyone needs to know that. He’s going to help us in that area. He can handle the ball, he can drive past people, so there’s elements of his game that will be similar to Ross (Barkley) and Sambi (Lokonga).”

Hatters: James Shea, Chiedozie Ogbene, Reuell Walters, Tom Holmes, Joe Johnson, Alfie Doughty, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Shandon Baptiste, Tahith Chong, Elijah Adebayo, Cauley Woodrow. Subs: Jordan Clark, John McAtee, Joe Taylor, Andros Townsend, Jameson Horlick, Zack Nelson, Jayden Luker, Jack Bateson, Aidan Francis-Clarke.