The Hatters have bolstered their striking options with the signing of centre-forward Devante Cole on a permanent deal from Port Vale.
The 30-year-old has been in fine form for Vale this season and scored against the Town in the meeting between the two sides in December.
Cole, who scored the 100th goal of his career on New Year’s Day, is a former England youth international having come through the academy at Manchester City.
Having put pen to paper at The Brache, the striker said: “It’s been a long week, but I’m very happy to get it over the line. Since I first became aware of the interest, I wanted to be a Luton player and I’m glad it’s finally at this point.
“I’ve been to Kenilworth Road a few times and it’s always a hard place for an opposition team to play, but I’m looking forward to getting out there with the fans behind me now.
“It always helps you settle in quickly at a new club when there are familiar faces, and I know Mads very well from my time at Barnsley and Kal from when we were at Wigan together, so I’m sure all the lads will be good. I can’t wait to get going now.”
Manager Jack Wilshere said: “Devante is an exciting signing for us, a proven goalscorer at this level. He had a great upbringing at Manchester City and has since forged a top career in and around League One, the Championship and Scottish Premiership.
“If you look at his recent goalscoring record, he’s been one of the main reasons why Barnsley reached the play-offs twice in a row, and this season he’s found the net regularly in a side battling at the bottom.
“That’s something we found to our cost a few weeks ago so we’re delighted to bring him in on our side. He’s vastly experienced and will bring competition to the forward areas, where we’ve got players returning to fitness.
“He has been playing regularly for Port Vale, so he’s ready to go and we’re looking forward to seeing how he can help us.”
The story so far
Cole joined Manchester City as a seven-year-old, quickly becoming a regular scorer for City’s youth teams under Patrick Vieira.
His first taste of senior football came with a loan at Barnsley in 2014/15, where he scored seven times in 23 appearances.
Cole left Manchester in 2015, joining Bradford, but after a short spell with the Bantams he signed for Fleetwood.
After three seasons at Highbury, where he hit 22 goals in 94 games, he made the move to Wigan but could not hold down a regular place in the side.
Spells at Burton, Doncaster and Motherwell followed – scoring 11 times in the Scottish top-flight in 27 games – before he put pen to paper on a deal at Barnsley.
It was at Oakwell where he shot to prominence, scoring 33 times in two seasons in League One to help the Tykes reach the play-offs in two years in a row.
At the beginning of last season Cole then joined West Brom where, playing under five different managers, he could not hold down a regular place due to the goalscoring form of fellow striker Josh Maja.
So, having agreed to end his deal in the summer of 2025, Port Vale came calling, and the striker hit the ground running at Vale Park, scoring and setting another up on his debut.
A further seven goals followed – including Vale’s second goal at Kenilworth Road last month – before he committed his future to the Hatters.
A warm welcome to Kenilworth Road, Devante!
