We are excited to announce the permanent transfer of Barnsley centre-back and captain Mads Andersen for an undisclosed fee.
The 25-year-old Dane has spent the past four years in English football with the Tykes, three of them in the Championship before last season’s League One play-off campaign, which ended in last-gasp defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley.
Andersen came through the ranks at Danish Superliga club Brondby, where he made his professional debut and earned two caps for his country at Under-19 level.
After a loan at second tier KB Hoge, he joined AC Horsens in 2017 and scored five goals in 32 appearances – enough to earn a move to south Yorkshire for a reported fee of £900,000 in 2019.
The Albertslund-born defender helped Barnsley survive in the Championship, then reach the play-offs alongside current Hatters Carlton Morris and Cauley Woodrow, before staying at Oakwell following relegation to lead their attempt to make an immediate return to the second tier.
Andersen made 42 appearances last term, scoring twice, to earn a place in the EFL League One Team of the Season and the Tykes’ supporters’ player of the season award.
The popular defender leaves Barnsley with 167 appearances to his name and a reputation as one of the classiest centre-halves in the EFL, with ambitions to play in the Premier League and for his country at senior level.
Manager Rob Edwards said: “I’m really pleased to get Mads on board. He has been on our recruitment team’s list for a long time now. We watched a lot of him last season and he’s performed really well and consistently for a prolonged period in English football.
“He’s someone who can play anywhere across that back three for us. He’s a real good defender, someone who loves defending, and we like ours to be able to do that. But he can play, and there is room to grow, like with anyone we want to bring in and sign.
“He’s going to bring real good quality and competition into that position, with us obviously losing Sonny Bradley this summer, but the position we see Amari’i Bell in now, Mads’ arrival gives us real quality and competition in that area.
“He's a really good person, when I spoke to him, it was clear that he’s so ambitious to play in the Premier League and very driven and determined to get into his national team, but first and foremost, he’s determined to get into our team, to play and be consistent.
“We’ve got high hopes for Mads and are really pleased to get the deal done."
Speaking after completing his medical at The Brache, Andersen described his emotions on signing for the Hatters and fulfilling his long-held target since his time back home in Scandinavia of reaching the English Premier League.
“It feels very, very good,” said the centre-back. “I’m very happy and I’m really looking forward to this next chapter of my life at Luton Town.
“I’m so excited. It’s a dream come true. When I made my move in Denmark from Brondby to a lower team in the same division, me and my dad spoke about it and I said ‘In one and a half years, I’m going to go to the Championship’, and that is exactly what happened.
“During that period I also wrote on a piece of paper, ‘Premier League’, and stuck it on the fridge. I completely forgot about it, until my family told me, ‘You put that on the fridge!’. So it’s a proud moment for them as well.”
Asked what Hatters fans can expect from him on the pitch, Andersen promised: “I’m going to play with my heart. I’m going to try and give everything I can, 100 per cent team player. I’ll do anything for the team and hopefully they can use my qualities and I can help them to show their qualities.”
We’re looking forward to seeing them, Mads. Welcome to Luton Town!