Hatters sign former Walsall striker Cook

The 26-year-old, who had been offered a new one-year contract to stay with the League One Saddlers, rejected the opportunity in favour of a move to Kenilworth Road instead.

He put pen to paper to papers on his Hatters contract after flying out to the club’s pre-season training camp and passing a medical at the Globall Football Park & SportHotel in Telki, near Budapest, yesterday.

Cook began his career at Sunderland and made his Premier League debut as a substitute against Manchester United on Boxing Day 2010, having made his League debut on loan at Darlington in August 2009.

He went on to make three appearances for the Black Cats and also experienced first-team football on loan at Walsall and Carlisle United before joining Charlton Athletic following his release from the Stadium of Light club in 2012.

It was there he came to the attention of Luton boss Nathan Jones, assistant manager Paul Hart and head of sports science Jared Roberts-Smith, before he moved onto Walsall in 2014.

Cook played 44 games for the Saddlers last year, scoring four goals, including one in the 3-1 home defeat against Barnsley in the play-off semi-final second leg.

On his new signing, boss Jones said: “Jordan is one I’ve known for a long time and he’s one I never felt fulfilled his true potential at Charlton.

“He’s got a lot more to give and hopefully we’ll see that at Luton.

“He’s such a good athlete and a really dangerous player with so much potential, and I’m looking forward to helping bring that out of him.

“He’s also another one who showed such a desire to come here from the moment I first spoke to him, despite having a number of offers from elsewhere.

“It’s another real good acquisition and we’re so pleased to have managed to bring him to the club.”

Meanwhile, Cook himself added: “Yesterday was a long day. I set off quite early from Sunderland to get to Kenilworth Road, but I was made to feel welcome at the stadium and then got on a flight out here.

“Once I met the lads they all made me feel welcome, and I can’t wait to get started now.

“I had a light session yesterday evening by myself, because of all the travelling I’d done, but now I can’t wait to get stuck in and get started as a Luton Town player.

Cook also admitted the chance to link up with Jones and Hart once more was a huge appeal to his move, adding: “Nathan kept in touch with me for a while, and I’ve always respected for what he did with me at Charlton, when I came back from injury and I played in his U21s team.

“They always played really good football and Harty brought most of those U21s through the youth team, so you just know what you’re getting with them.

“I spoke to my parents and my agent, and I don’t see it as a massive drop down, coming to a League Two club, because Luton is a massive club, with a big fanbase and it’s going places.

“I’ve been told all about the new stadium that’ll hopefully be coming in a few years, and the team Nathan is assembling looks like a very strong team, so hopefully this season we can do well.”