Jones not eager to bring in a loan signing during the transfer window and prevent Pereira from flourishing

Luton boss Nathan Jones wasn't too interested in looking at the loan market during the recent transfer window as he doesn't want to prevent the likes of attacker Dion Pereira from flourishing at Kenilworth Road this term.

Town have gone into the campaign without a temporary signing on their books, an unusual occurrence for the Hatters, who like most other clubs below the Premier League, have often looked to the top flight for help ahead of a new season.

Jones did so last year, bringing in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Rhys Norrington-Davies and Sam Nombe from Leicester City, Sheffield United and MK Dons respectively, while he further boosted his squad with the addition of Tom Ince later in the campaign as well.

Although Jones could have used the loan market before the deadline passed, he opted against doing so to give the likes of Pereira the opportunity to show what he can do, the former Watford and Atlanta United forward involved in a number of Championship match-day squads so far, plus starting the Carabao Cup first round exit to Stevenage.

Speaking about his decision not to borrow a player, Jones said: “We take a loan if they Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall us, you’ve got a new name for that now.

"In terms of not improve us, but if they Kiernan us then we’ll take a loan, and that’s basically how we go about things.

“If they don’t then we don’t need numbers as we’ve got wonderful players, we’ve got people here now who are chomping at the bit.

“I’ve got Dion Pereira here who I’m really excited about and we could have taken young ones in that position, but then Dion would never flourish and I want that boy to flourish as I see something in him.”

Jones is definitely not against signing someone on loan if the opportunity arises in the future though, having had great success with a number of additions, most notably Dewsbury-Hall last term, the 23-year-old making his Premier League debut for the Foxes ahead of the recent international break.

The Town chief continued: “We’re not reluctant to use it but the ones we bring in have to improve us considerably.

"The restrictions we have on that is that to improve our squad, because we think we recruit very well, so to bring someone better on loan takes a hell of a calibre of player to come in.

“They are usually on considerably more money than our budget allows, and also not everyone sees Luton as the best loan option.

"Those who are serious about their football, want to develop, want to get better, want to be involved in something, they do that. Some don’t.

“We believe categorically that we do good work here.

"If you get the right one, if you get a Kiernan then, of course, use it, but, if you don’t, develop them yourself.

"That’s our ethos here and we’ve done very well doing that.

“We’ve taken them at the right time. We took Eunan O’Kane (from Leeds) on loan, who was wonderful for us.

"We took James Bree (from Aston Villa) on loan, who was very good and developed into our player, Cameron Carter-Vickers was excellent for this football club.

“When we then develop them or send them to a certain level, the ironic thing is that they go slightly beyond us, more so financially than professionally.

“So, that’s why we’re reluctant.

"With the likes of Kiernan, we go back to him so many times, if you can’t sign him back then the next thing we want is for him to be playing in the Premier League.

“That’s what he’s doing now and we’re delighted for him.”

Meanwhile, Jones also confirmed that he had received offers for his players during the window, but decided to keep hold of them, adding: “We could have moved a number of them as we’ve got good players here, and players that are coveted.

"But it’s about one, is it the right move for them? Two is it the right move for us?

"And then if we do let them go, can we improve significantly and we couldn’t, so there’s no point.”