‘Have to pay’: Club chief sends fierce transfer warning to Southampton

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Nathan Jones’ Premier League strugglers Southampton will ‘have to pay a higher price than any other club’ if they try to raid Luton Town in the January transfer window, Hatters’ chief Gary Sweet tells Luton Today. 

Earlier this week, assistant manager Chris Cohen and first-team coach Alan Sheehan both joined Jones on the South Coast; the 49-year-old Welshman taking two of his most trusted lieutenants with him to St Mary’s. 

Understandably, then, there are some concerns amongst the Luton fanbase that a key player or two could also make the trip from Kenilworth Road to the banks of the Solent with the winter window now just seven weeks away. 

Luton’s chief executive, however, is wasting no time in putting his foot down.

“You can’t restrict movement on players. It would be illegal, frankly. (But) if they (Southampton) come in in January, it means they have to pay a higher price than any other club,” Sweet says.

“The club needs money to carry on. But they have to pay more than everybody else.” 

Will Nathan Jones’ Southampton raid Luton Town?

There are currently 11 places separating Southampton and Jones’ old employers in the footballing pyramid. As such, it cannot be ruled out that the two clubs will be swapping leagues in 2023; especially if Luton can hire a coach capable of building upon Jones’ foundations. 

“(Jones, Cohen and Sheehan) might regret it if we pass Southampton in the league table at some point in the future,” Sweet adds. “But they’re going on to good things.”

Former Burnley boss Sean Dyche, speaking on talkSPORT, distanced himself from a potential move to England’s second tier. St Mirren’s former Luton favourite Stephen Robinson, meanwhile, insists that he is fully focused on life north of the border (Daily Record). 

Jones’ will take charge of Southampton for the first time during this weekend’s trip to Liverpool. Allegedly, the Saints could make Parma left-back Jayden Oosterwolde the first new signing of a new, post-Ralph Hasenhuttl era.