Premier League newcomers Luton Town have thrown injury-prone winger Andros Townsend a lifeline in England’s elite division.
The Hatters have announced the 32-year-old forward has signed a six-month deal at Kenilworth Road, joining the club as a free agent.
After a two-year stint at Everton, Townsend lost confidence at Goodison Park due to numerous long-term injury setbacks, resulting in his release at the end of last season.
Everton refused to offer the former Crystal Palace man a new deal after he failed to make a single Premier League appearance in 2022/23.
Townsend tried to reignite his career in top-level football in the summer, but his pre-season trial at Burnley failed to come to fruition.
Following the Clarets’ rejection, the Englishman’s days in England’s top flight seemed all but numbered before Luton came knocking on his door after the deadline day.
“I’ve seen where I can help this team and on the flipside, the manager has seen where I can help – whether that’s on the pitch, in the dressing room, or on the training field – with my enthusiasm and experience,” Townsend said during his first interview as a Luton player.
“Plus, Luton are my local team – I live 20-25 minutes away so I’ve kept my eye on their progress and watching the Championship play-off final and see them win promotion was great for the club.
“I never thought I’d pull on the Luton shirt, so it’s a huge honour to play again in the Premier League for this club, and hopefully get help this club get as many points as we can and see where it takes us.”
Under-fire manager Rob Edwards will hope Townsend’s vast experience at England’s top table could help his team turn the corner amid a dreadful league start.
With 265 Premier League outings under his belt, the Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate could be a useful addition to a relatively inexperienced Luton squad.
He will team up with another ex-Everton star, Ross Barkley, who has largely failed to live up to expectations at Kenilworth Road.
Barring a 2-1 win over the Toffees, Edwards’ side have only claimed one point in their remaining seven league matches this term, entering the October international break level on points with 18th-placed Burnley.
