'Not ideal' - Rob Edwards fears transfer distraction when QPR visit Luton Town

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has admitted that it is 'not ideal' to be facing QPR on Friday night as the Hatters prepare for what could be a busy transfer deadline day at Kenilworth Road.

As with any club relegated from the top flight, the side's squad has been targeted by Premier League clubs wanting to recruit stars with experience in the top division. Ross Barkley has moved to Aston Villa with Chiedozie Ogbene completing a move to Ipswich Town on Wednesday, having been absent from the Carabao Cup fixture against the R's on Tuesday.

The Hatters will be hoping to hold onto other first team stars with Teden Mengi one of those linked with a potential exit - Premier League side Fulham and clubs in Italy are said to be interested.

After being defeated by QPR in the Carabao Cup, Edwards admitted that it wouldn't be a 'quiet' end to the window. He said: "It’s been a real challenging few months, managing, injuries coming back, the drop down anyway. The window, it does unsettle people, so it’s not easy. I’ll be really pleased when it closes on Friday and we can get to work with the people we’ve got.

"It’s not going to quieten down over the next couple of days so I’d get ready for all of that sort of stuff. Sometimes what you read or see or hear isn’t always true as well, so let’s see what the next couple of days bring. It’s not ideal that we’re playing on deadline day as well, it’s a strange one."

QPR got the better of Luton Town at Loftus Road in midweek, but that fixture did have to go to penalties under the lights in West London. Marti Cifuentes is still looking for his first league win of the season and news of a potentially unsettled Luton Town could boost hopes for three points at Kenilworth Road on Friday evening.

Speaking to the Luton Town website, Edwards added: “It’s not ideal trying to plan. Planning on deadline night when we have a game isn’t easy but we’re working on things.

“I’m not going to be on the phone on the touchline, that’s for sure. I’ll be leaving that to the recruitment team. But if anything doesn’t happen then I’m still content with where we are. I think we’ve got a strong group.”