Town chief reveals injury prevented ex-Arsenal youngster from leaving

Hatters boss Jack Wilshere had stated that injury prevented full back Reuell Walters from leaving the club over the summer.

The 21-year-old moved to Luton in July 2024, following his exit from Premier League Arsenal, where he had been part of Wilshere’s U18s squad at the Emirates. Signing under previous manager Rob Edwards, Walters played 16 times in total during his first season at Kenilworth Road that was hindered by injury, while last term he started the opening two matches, before suffering a groin issue in the 2-0 success against Peterborough United.

Once Wilshere came in, the ex-England youngster, who has played for the Three Lions at U18, U19 and U20 level, only featured in four further matches, his last outing coming in the Vertu Trophy clash against Swindon in January. Walters then moved to Blackpool last January, having a successful loan spell at Bloomfield Road, playing 17 times in the league, scoring his first senior goal in the 3-2 home win over Port Vale.

Back at Kenilworth Road in the summer though, the youngster was one of four players, including Jerry Yates, Lasse Nordas and Thomas Holmes, who weren’t given squad numbers when Town named their intended playing personnel for the current campaign.

While the other three have all now moved on, Walters remained in Bedfordshire, where he will look to get fit before attempting to head out in January, as Wilshere said: “Reu’s injured and unfortunately for him, he got injured in pre-season in training, so it was probably never on the cards that he would go somewhere this window. He needs to get himself fit and available and then see what happens in the future. Probably, yes (he will leave in the winter transfer window).