Manager Nathan Jones says the signing of Alfie Doughty presents him with a variety of new left-sided options in his squad following the departure of Kal Naismith to Bristol City last month.
Town have completed the permanent acquisition of midfielder Doughty from Stoke City, making the 22-year-old the first new arrival of the summer transfer window.
Jones says that the Londoner is someone the Hatters have tracked since his early days at another of the manager’s former clubs, Charlton Athletic, who sold him to Stoke 18 months ago.
“He is one we wanted to add,” said the Welshman. “We want to keep adding quality and we’ve watched Alfie for a number of years. We did try to get him prior but just missed out on him, so the time is right now.
“We wanted to strengthen in that area. Amari’i Bell has done really well for us, but adding Alfie gives us even more flexibility and potency on the left-hand-side.
“He’s young, he’s hungry, he’s nowhere near his ceiling and he’s a typical Luton signing really, a real good Luton signing in terms of getting him at the right age, working with him and making him better.
“He’s got good experience, having played in the Championship during his teens. He had good grounding at Charlton and it is a club we know well, so I spoke to some key people about him and we’re delighted to get him.”
On Doughty’s ability, Jones added: “He’s quick, really attack-minded and it is what we want to be about this year. We were last year, but we want to be stronger coming out of this window than we were last window, and with us losing Kal Naismith, it is important we strengthen that area.
“Signing Alfie means we can utilise Amari’i’s strengths better, while adding real competition. It’s a real good signing for us.”
With Naismith’s departure being the only other transfer news so far this summer, the manager was also keen clear up any confusion over the versatile centre-half’s exit and the timing of the announcement.
The Scottish defender had been in regular contact with the manager and informed him of his choice, however there was no communication from Bristol City to Luton Town at any other level, as is the usual process for a player still under contract.
This meant that sadly, our supporters found out from Bristol City rather than ourselves.
“I have a fantastic relationship with Kal, and myself and him were communicating right throughout the process,” said the Gaffer.
“As a club we did all we could. It’s just at Kal’s age, with the contract that Bristol City offer, a lot of Championship clubs are in a position to offer that and we just couldn’t compete, which we realised.
“We thank Kal for his services. He has done brilliantly for us, and we’ve done brilliantly for Kal. We signed him as Wigan’s right winger, having played just a handful of games at centre-half. Look at him now in that position.
“Kal and I will maintain a great relationship. I realise his reasons for moving on and he kept me privately abreast of every move he was making."
