Luton boss Rob Edwards expressed his desire to collaborate with Manchester City wingback Issa Kabore again in the future. He mentioned that Kabore has played his final game for Luton this season due to an ankle injury.
The 22-year-old, who joined Kenilworth Road on loan from the Premier League champions at the beginning of the season, was forced to leave the pitch during Saturday’s 5-1 defeat to Brentford due to a severe ankle injury.
Despite attempting to continue playing against Brentford, he was unable to do so. Providing an update on his condition today, Edwards confirmed that Issa Kabore, the Burkina Faso international, will not recover in time to participate in any more matches for the team this season.
Edwards expressed disappointment, mentioning Kabore’s consistent performances and versatility in various positions, making his absence a loss for the team and a setback for Kabore himself.
“He’s been really consistent, he’s learned and what Issa does, as well as anybody else, is he commits 100 percent every single day, every time he crosses that white line, so I’m really disappointed for him. I want to thank him for what he’s done for us this year. He’s helped, he’s played an important role, so we’ll support him now in helping him to get back on his feet. He’ll be a number of weeks, but he’ll recover well.”
Since arriving in Bedfordshire over the summer, Kabore, who hasn’t made an appearance for his parent club yet after spending last season on loan with French Ligue 1 side Marseille, has featured in 24 Premier League matches for Luton, starting 21 of them. Despite a few errors that led to goals against teams like Aston Villa, Liverpool, Spurs, and Exeter City in the Carabao Cup, including an own goal, he has remained popular among Town fans for his energetic performances on the right flank.
One memorable moment was when he set up Tahith Chong’s goal against Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasing Reds in November.
When asked about the possibility of working with Kabore again, Edwards expressed his enjoyment of working with him and highlighted Kabore’s untapped potential and growth opportunities. He praised Kabore as a fantastic athlete and a great person, indicating that it would be beneficial for both parties to continue their collaboration.
“He was really keen to play in the Premier League and that was a big pull in being able to get him here, so thankyou to City as we’ve got to get that in place and agreed and I’m really pleased that we did that. He’s been great for us, he is a young player that’s going to go on and have a really good career. He’s a diamond of a lad who gives absolutely everything, every single day.”
Luton has utilized the loan market effectively by bringing in players like Kabore and Sambi Lokonga from Arsenal, both of whom have been crucial contributors in the team’s battle to remain in the Premier League this season. This success in loan acquisitions has bolstered Edwards’ confidence in attracting more loan signings for the upcoming season.
Despite Kabore’s absence in the upcoming matches against Wolves, Everton, West Ham, and Fulham, Edwards mentioned having suitable replacements like Daiki Hashioka and Fred Onyedinma, who are both fit and offer similar qualities. This increased depth and options provide a boost to the team’s strength going forward.