Luton announce loan signing of Harrison Ashby from Newcastle

Luton Town have announced the signing of Harrison Ashby on a season-long loan from Newcastle.

Ashby becomes the Hatters’ third new arrival ahead of the new season, following the permanent signing of Kasey Palmer and the arrival of defender George Johnston.

The former Scotland youth international, who was born in Milton Keynes, arrives at Kenilworth Road for his latest loan for an EFL side.

Ashby joined Newcastle in 2023 from West Ham but has not made a first-team appearance for the Magpies, having spent time on loan with Swansea and QPR in the Championship, while he spent the second half of last season in League One with Bradford City.

While at West Ham, Ashby had made his first team debut at the same time the squad featured his now-manager Jack Wilshere.

In a statement on the Luton Town website, Wilshere said he was delighted to bring Ashby to Bedfordshire.

He said, “I was playing alongside Harrison for West Ham when he made his debut, and you could tell that he had something. Technically he was always clean, and he was very young then, but physically he was good.

“I kept an eye on him going to Newcastle because Eddie Howe is someone I worked with and a coach that I respect, so I always thought that he’d be good for him.

“It probably hasn’t quite worked out for him how he wanted it to, but Eddie has definitely done a good job of developing him as a player, but also as a person. He’s grown up so much. He’s someone I see who can fit straight into this group and help us on the pitch.

“Going out on his loans in the Championship and League One has probably helped him grow up a lot as well. Harrison is a good footballer, and always has been, but he had to go out and learn the other side of it.

“He was at Bradford last year, so he understands the league and he says he loved his loan there. That tells me he’s someone that buys into a coach, a way of playing and a way of working with a good attitude, that we need right now.”