Stoke City close to making offer for Luton Town player – Potters in contact for signing

Stoke City and Club Brugge are chasing Luton Town’s Lamine Fanne Dabo ahead of the summer window, according to Fotboll Direkt.

The 21-year-old left AIK Fotboll for Luton Town in January, after the two clubs reached an agreement in August. He played 12 games for the Hatters, who have been relegated from the Championship.

Lamine Fanne Dabo wants to leave Luton Town, and both Stoke City and Club Brugge are keen on signing him.

On Monday, Sportbladet reported the midfielder is attracting interest from La Liga. Fotboll Direkt relay that and then provide their own information on Stoke City and the Belgian club.

They state the two clubs recently contacted Luton Town over the possibility of taking the player away from them. The report further adds they are close to making offers for the player, without mentioning any figures.

In addition to Stoke City and Club Brugge, clubs from Italy and Spain are keeping an eye on him.

At this moment in time, Fotboll Direkt aren’t aware of the fee Luton Town are requesting for Lamine Fanne Dabo. His contract lasts until 2029 and Transfermarkt currently values him at €4m.

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When it comes to the January transfer window, of the 2024/202 season, there was one decision made that did puzzle me.

With the Hatters in free fall, in the EFL Championship, and with an injury list blighting selection, the decision was made to loan our central defender, Tom Holmes, to the Belgian club Dender EH.

Holmes, who was signed from Reading, for that often used by our club terminology, undisclosed fee, doesn’t appear to have been given a fair chance during his time at Kenilworth Road.

Even when he signed on the dotted line for the Hatters, it appeared to be only a fleeting visit with the London born defender being loaned straight back to his former club, Reading, until the end of the season.

Upon returning, in time for the start of the 2024/2025 season, Tom was to make only 18 league appearances, 15 starts and a further 3 appearances from the bench before the Hatters hierarchy decided they could do without his services and sent him off to Belgian football.

But it is here that his career gets even stranger, while on the books of Dender EH, it seems that Tom was to make just 1 appearance.

Was he injured or just deemed not good enough?

Surely, if he was injured he’d have returned to the club and if his appearances were so limited why wasn’t he recalled?

I’d be grateful if anyone can enlighten me when it comes to the two queries raised above!

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Whenever he played for Luton Town he struck me as being a no-nonsense centre-back, capable in the air, physically strong and willing to give all for the cause, just the kind of attributes I suspect will be needed in League One.

Which leads me nicely on to the crux of this article.

With League One beckoning and with a squad revamp to be carried out, do you see Tom Holmes remaining with the Hatters and playing a major role next season, or will he be one of many who, I suspect, will be culled as we prepare for a new dawn?

Please feel free to air your views in the comment facility beneath this article.