Marvelous Nakamba
By Dickson Bandera
Zimbabwean international, Marvelous Nakamba, who had a successful loan spell at Luton Town Football Club, has been released after the expiry of his loan contact.
Nakamba joined Rob Edwards’ Luton in January 2023 and spent the second half of the season in the Championship where he played an important role in the team’s promotion to the Premier League.
He is back to his parent club, Aston Villa, and it is to be seen if Luton will submit a bid for the midfielder during the summer transfer window which opens on 14 June and close on September 1.
Many Zimbabweans, who followed Nakamba to Luton, will be disappointed if the Hatters do not offer Nakamba a permanent transfer deal.
They believe he will have better fortunes at Luton than Villa hence want him to permanently move to Kenilworth Road, where he played exciting football during his short stint in the just ended season.
Nakamba’s scintillating performance at Luton earned him a player of the month award in March and was a regular starter since he joined the Hatters in January.
Nakamba signed a 5 year deal with Aston Villa in August 2019 and has 12 months left on his contract.
The Hatters, as Luton is affectionately known, have confirmed the list of retained and released players as the team prepares for its date in the top flight league next season.
“Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh and Marvelous Nakamba will return to their parent clubs following the end of their loan spells, we would like to thank them for their fantastic contributions to this historic season,” reads the statement.
Three players, Gabe Osho, Dan Potts and Elliot Thorpe, whose contracts have also expired, have been given the option for a one year extension.
Negotiations are ongoing with Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Tom Lockyer, Amari’i Bell and Luke Berry with a view to extending their time at Kenilworth Road.
Luton welcomes back 5 of its players fom loan. These are Matt Macey, Glen Rea, Dion Pereira, Carlos Mendes Gomes and John McAtee.
Captain Sonny Bradley, Henri Lansbury and Harry Isted will all leave the Hatters following the expiration of their contracts.
Defender Bradley made 175 appearances for Luton Town and has worn the captain’s armband since the League One promotion season in 2018.
Luton said it had already confirmed the centre-half’s departure at the end of his contract before the start of the play-off campaign, in which it came out tops to gain EPL promotion.
Midfielder Lansbury, 32, leaves Kenilworth Road after joining the club at the start of the 2021-22 season. The Arsenal academy graduate made 48 appearances for the Hatters, scored a memorable screamer at Hull City back in September and contributed to two play-off campaigns.
Isted will also depart after six years, with the goalkeeper having joined the Hatters from Stoke before the start of the 2017-18 League Two promotion-winning campaign. The 26-year-old made six appearances for the Town, including against Chelsea in last season’s Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round.
“All at Kenilworth Road would like to thank Sonny, Henri and Harry for their wonderful service to the Club and for the respective roles they have each played in our three promotions, ” reads the statement.
From the Development squad, the Hatters have made offers to extend the contracts of Aidan Francis-Clarke and Axel Piesold while leaving the Club at the end of their deals are Daniel Idiakhoa, Avan Jones, Conor Lawless, Josh Neufville, Callum Nicolson, Casey Pettit and Josh Williams.
First-year scholars moving into their second year are Tyrell Giwa, William Houghton, Claude Kayibanda, Jack Lorentzen-Jones, Max Scott and Marcus Warren.
