We can confirm that defender James Bree has today joined Premier League side Southampton for an undisclosed fee.
Bree first arrived at Kenilworth Road in 2019 when he joined the newly-promoted Hatters from Aston Villa on a season-long loan.
He made his Luton debut in a 2-1 defeat against Cardiff City, and often filled in at left-back before emerging as one of the biggest influences behind the Great Escape when matches resumed after lockdown – contributing four assists in the final nine matches.
So much was his contribution that he was made a permanent addition to the squad in September 2020, after his release from Villa Park. He played a further 27 times for the club in all competitions and scored his first senior goal in a 2-0 win over Coventry City.
Last season, Bree was largely present in a defence that kept 19 league clean sheets, of which he helped secure 18, as the Hatters finished sixth in the Sky Bet Championship.
He scored a memorable free-kick against Hull City as Luton went up to third in the league, and impressed again with six assists from a mixture of centre-back, right-back and wing-back.
The 25-year-old departs having made a total of 143 appearances for the club, netting twice, and manager Rob Edwards said: “James has been a fantastic servant to the club, long before we came in, and he’s been tremendous in the couple of months we’ve been fortunate enough to work with him.
“This is a great opportunity for him. It’s something that he was really keen to do because like everyone, he’s ambitious and the Premier League is the level you need to aim for.
“We thank him for all he’s done in his three and a half years at Kenilworth Road, and wish him every success for the rest of his career.”
Those words are echoed by all at the club. Thank you and good luck, Breesy!