Mendy departure doesn’t mean there’s any spare budget for Hatters

The departure of Arnaud Mendy last week doesn’t mean there is any spare budge to recruit new players according to boss John Still, writes Mark Wood.
Staines Town v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 49.Staines Town v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 49.
Staines Town v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 49.

With Jonathan Smith sidelined and on-loan West Ham United starlet Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu returning to his parent club, the Hatters have been left light in midfield.

But on whether it would free up any budget, Still said: “It doesn’t, because at the start of the season we worked on certain players that we made available going, so really it’s had us over what we expected to be.

“We expected movement before now, so him going only brings us in line and in actual fact leaves us behind the line because he has been here since the start of the season.”

The Guinea-Bissau international was a regular when Still first took over, but an unspecified breach of discipline saw him fall out of favour, with Still declaring he would never play for the club again.

He returned for the recent goalless draw at Staines Town in the FA Trophy, but that was to prove his last Luton appearance.

Still though bears no grudges, adding: “I’ve got to be honest, I had no problem with Arnaud Mendy. He messed up if I’m being honest when I first came last season.

“And it was I thought a serious lack of discipline and I just thought it was the right thing to do that we would look elsewhere and we have done.

“He’s gone now and I wish him the best of luck, I have no reason not to.”