£30k-a-week Luton Town man could be big loser of Nahki Wells transfer | OneFootball

Luton Town's signing of experienced striker Nahki Wells from Bristol City could spell trouble for Jacob Brown

Luton Town's signing of experienced striker Nahki Wells from Bristol City could spell trouble for Jacob Brown, after falling out of favour under manager Matt Bloomfield and suffering injury setbacks.

The signing of 35-year-old Wells on a free transfer from the Robins suggests Luton want proven-quality as they look to bounce back from their Championship relegation to League One.

Wells brings a wealth of experience and a proven goalscoring record, having netted 174 goals in English football since arriving from Bermuda in 2010.

During his five-and-a-half years at Bristol City, Wells scored 48 goals in 237 appearances across all competitions - including ten last season, as the Robins finished 6th and reached the play-offs.

His consistency was somewhat vital to Bristol City's youngest squad in the second-tier, with the Bermudian being the only player over 30 in their setup.

Matt Bloomfield was full of praise for the new signing, describing Wells as "a proven goalscorer" with "fantastic experience and good leadership."

Jacob Brown's difficult season under Matt Bloomfield at Luton Town

The 27-year-old Scotland international has endured a torrid time since Bloomfield took charge of the Hatters in January 2025. Brown, who joined Luton from Stoke City in 2023, has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter under the new manager's regime.

Despite being one of the club's highest earners on an estimated £30k per-week according to Capology estimates, Brown made just 11 starts out of 29 Championship appearances during the 24/25 campaign.

His season was further disrupted by injuries, with the forward missing the opening games due to a knee problem before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in March following a collision during Town's 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough.

The former Barnsley man spoke on the Performing Under Pressure podcast and revealed he had been "going through off the pitch external factors that he had been trying to "bottle up and hide from."

It wasn't until Bloomfield's arrival and the implementation of a special presentation exercise that Brown felt able to open up to his teammates about his difficulties - so sympathy must be afforded to the forward for those challenges away from football.

Matt Bloomfield's plans to rebuild Luton Town in League One

Matt Bloomfield has been clear about his intention to strengthen the squad further, stating "We're trying to work towards that, that work won't stop. We've still got our eyes on getting stronger."

The triple signing of Wells, Hakeem Odoffin, and Nigel Lonwijk does demonstrate the club's commitment to building a squad capable of getting out of the third-tier on first attempt.

Wells' experience of winning promotions with both Bradford City and Huddersfield Town certainly shows he wasn't solely signed to score goals.

Brown's hefty estimated £30k wage packet places him well above the club's estimated average weekly wage of £14,446 - making his lack of regular first-team football all the more concerning from a financial perspective.

Jacob Brown's uncertain Luton Town future

With his contract running until 2027, Brown undoubtedly faces a crucial period in his Luton career. The arrival of Wells adds another layer of competition to an already crowded forward line that includes Elijah Adebayo.

While the drop in division might suggest easier competition, the physical demands of the third tier and the expectation of immediate promotion could prove testing for a player who has struggled with injury problems.

The club's wage bill also needs to be managed carefully at this level, and high-earning players who aren't regular starters - like Brown - become increasingly difficult to justify.

With pre-season well underway and the new League One campaign approaching, Brown will need to prove his fitness and form quickly if he is to avoid being sidelined further.

The coming weeks will definitely be crucial for Brown as he looks to prove to Bloomfield that he can be a valuable asset in the club's promotion push. However, with Wells' experience and proven track record, the Scotland international faces perhaps his biggest challenge yet in fighting for his place at Kenilworth Road.