Luton Town must resist Everton advance if Championship promotion is wanted: View | OneFootball

Luton Town’s immediate return to the EFL was confirmed on Sunday, as the Hatters suffered Premier League relegation after just a single season in the top flight.

Rob Edwards’ side suffered 4-2 defeat at home to Fulham as Nottingham Forest ran out 2-1 winners over Burnley, meaning that their fate was sealed after just 12 months dining at the top table.

Less than 24 hours after the Hertfordshire’s future was determined, transfer interest has already been reported in the standout performers at Kenilworth Road this season, with Everton linked with a move for striker Elijah Adebayo.

The former Walsall man has caught the eye with a number of strong performances in his first full season at the top level of English football, but Town should be trying to do all the can to keep him at the club to help their cause for the next campaign.

Everton target Elijah Adebayo can help fire Luton Town back to the Premier League

Adebayo’s domineering performances in the final thrive have rightly earned him plenty of plaudits in the Premier League this season, but EFL fans will know he is no flash in the pan.

The 26-year-old has been a regular name on Football League scoresheets since the start of the decade, with some fine performances for Walsall in League Two before making the move to the Championship with Luton.

His arrival at Kenilworth Road coincided the club’s recent rise, with playoff defeat in 2022 followed by victory at Wembley the following year, as Town returned to the top flight for the first time in 31 years.

Although he may have only mustered seven goals in the promotion campaign, Adebayo’s selflessness in the final third was what made the Hatters such a tricky opponent to come up against the last time they were in the EFL, with his efficiency at bringing others into play paving the way for his teammates to shine.

After similarly impressive performances in the Premier League this season, it is no surprise to see Sean Dyche reportedly interest in the striker, with that sort of player profile exactly what the Toffees boss desires from his frontmen.

Finding the back of the net was the main issue for the Merseysiders in the Premier League in 23/24, with just 40 goals across the campaign the worst return apart from basement side Sheffield United, and Dyche looks adamant to address that issue as quickly as possible.

But letting go of Adebayo would be a big mistake for the Hatters, who could utilise his abilities as a top marksman to great effect in their efforts to chase promotion next season.

The striker has the tenth best record of goals per game in the top flight this season, with his 0.63/90 record meaning he has scored at a similar rate to the likes of Mo Salah and Phil Foden this season, with his ten goals coming from just 16 starts.

Not only that, but the 26-year-old doesn’t waste his opportunities in front of goal either, with his goals per shot return coming at a league-leading record of 0.32; a figure only matched by the red-hot Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace.

Those sorts of figures are exactly why the striker needs to remain at the club, with his ability to conjure something out of nothing when his side needs it sure to prove dividends over the course of a Championship campaign.

Elijah Adebayo Luton Town contract information, weekly wage

The good news for Town fans is that their club is ahead of the curve when it comes to Adebayo, having signed him to a new contract ahead of the Premier League campaign.

With the striker being valued so highly by the Hatters’ hierarchy, it will make Everton’s task all the greater if they are to lure him from Kenilworth Road this summer, even with the temptation of an immediate return to Premier League football.

According to Capology, the frontman is said to be on a weekly wage of £12,500, which doesn’t even put him in the top ten earners at the club,.

With the likes of Sambi Lokonga reportedly on £50,000 every seven days and fellow striker Jacob Brown earning £30,000 in the same period, money could be a factor in Adebayo leaving this summer, with the Goodison Park side likely to offer him a better deal than his current one offers.

With current Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin reportedly getting £100,000 per week, the benchmark would be set for the striker if he were to move to Merseyside, although Town should be pulling out all the stops to prevent that from happening.

You can’t put a price on the part Adebayo plays in the Hatters team, with his goals only being one of the many strings to his bow, and Rob Edwards should be doing everything they can to keep him at the club this summer to help their promotion push next year.