Luton Town Championship Odds: Hatters 10/3 to bounce straight back to the Premier League

Continuity could be key for Luton Town as they bid to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Luton Town Championship odds

(Odds will display when market is available)

The Hatters caused a stir during their last stint in the Championship, finishing third before securing promotion to the top-flight after beating first Sunderland over two legs in the play-off semi-finals and then Coventry City via a penalty shootout in the final at Wembley.

That promotion capped a remarkable rise for Luton, who had been playing in the National League as recently as 2014, and their first season back in the top tier for 31 years saw them earn plenty of plaudits, despite it ultimately ending in relegation.

Among the highlights for Luton during 2023/24 was a home draw with Liverpool, a memorable 4-4 away at Newcastle, a 4-0 victory over Brighton and near misses against the eventual top two, Manchester City and Arsenal.

Rob Edwards had his side playing a no-fear, attacking brand of football that saw the Hatters outscore the likes of Everton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest, but defensively they were always vulnerable, shipping 85 goals as they finished the campaign in 18th on 26 points, six adrift of the safety mark.

Of course, relegation from the Premier League had always been factored in as a distinct possibility by the hierarchy at Kenilworth Road and Luton will feel their current team is stronger than the one that earned promotion two seasons ago.

With Edwards still in charge, Luton are 12/1 to win the Championship title, 11/2 to finish in top two and 10/3 to be promoted by any means during 2024/25.

Achieving an instant return to the top flight will not be easy for Luton, with fellow relegated teams Burnley and Sheffield United both hoping to challenge, while last season's beaten play-off finalists, Leeds United, will also expect to be there of thereabouts once again.

What Luton perhaps have over all of those sides is continuity, with Edwards having been able to keep the baulk of last season's squad together.

Losing talismanic midfielder Ross Barkley to Aston Villa will be a miss, although an expected one once relegation was confirmed.

However, the only other first-team regular to have departed the club over the off-season, other than loan players Issa Kabore and Albert Sambi Lokonga, is defender Gabriel Osho, who has headed for a fresh challenge at Auxerre.

In the other direction, midfielder Shandon Baptiste looks a shrewd acquisition from Brentford and can help fill some of the Barkley void, while teenage full-back Reuell Walters rejected a new contract at Arsenal in favour of a move to Bedfordshire and could be one for both the present and future.

Shoring up a defence that conceded an average of over two goals-per-game last season will be a key focus for Edwards, who is in the market for further defensive reinforcements.

That need is all the more urgent with the likes of Teden Mengi, Amari'i Bell, Mads Andersen and Reece Burke on the treatment table.

Importantly though, Luton have lost none of their thrust in the final third, with forwards Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo both heading into the campaign having reached double figures for goals last season.

Adebayo, who fired home 10 goals in 27 league appearances during 2023/24, could be a particularly key figure, as Luton sorely missed the 26-year-old after he sat out the majority of last season's run-in with a hamstring injury.

Keeping both Adebayo and Morris fit will be key to Luton's promotion hopes, as will maintaining the services of creative wing-back Alfie Doughty, who provided a team-high eight assists in the Premier League last season but has been linked with a move to several top-flight clubs.

As it stands, Luton have the continuity, know-how and attacking thrust to be in the promotion mix come May.

A top-six finish, available to back at 11/10, is likely to be the minimum requirement for Edwards and his troops, with an immediate top-flight return representing a very real possibility.