We can confirm that a fee has been agreed with Derby County for striker Carlton Morris to join the Rams on a permanent transfer.

Carlton joined the Hatters from Barnsley in the summer of 2022 and immediately became a favourite with the Kenilworth Road crowd, netting 20 times to help fire us to promotion to the Premier League in his first season.

After scoring a penalty in the Championship play-off final shoot-out win over Coventry at Wembley, he then wrote his name into club history by repeating the trick to register our first-ever Premier League goal in the opening fixture away at Brighton & Hove Albion.

The following month Carlton netted the winner to record our first Premier League victory, a 2-1 success at Everton, and finished as our top scorer with 11 top-flight goals to his name.

For the past 18 months, the 29-year-old has worn the captain’s armband with great pride and led the team from the front, once again topping the goalscoring charts in the 2024/25 campaign with eight.

He leaves Kenilworth Road with a record of 39 goals in 137 appearances, and the thanks and best wishes from all Hatters for the part he has played in the club’s recent history.

Manager Matt Bloomfield said: “Carlton has been a big player for our football club for a long time now, and in the relatively short spell that we have worked with him, he has led by example and given everything for the cause.

“We understand his desire to continue his career at the highest level he can, and he leaves to join Derby with our best wishes.

“I’m sure I speak for everyone in saying he’ll always be a welcome visitor at Kenilworth Road for what he helped the club achieve, and we all wish him well for his future career.”

Thank you and good luck, Carlton!