Exeter City hoping to repeat Luton Town transfer trick with repeat raid | OneFootball

Exeter City went back to Halifax Town for their Millenic Alli replacement, but could Andrew Oluwabori make a move similar to Alli's Luton Town switch?

The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

But Gary Caldwell is hoping that he's pulled off a repeat trick that will have an identical outcome to the last.

That's not a reference to his playing-out-from-the-back tactics - there may well be some madness involved in that - but, instead, a note of hope that one of Exeter City's January transfer deals could turn out to be another absolute masterstroke.

It was panic stations at St James Park as the hours ticked down to the window closing following Tristan Crama's recall by Brentford and Millenic Alli's £1.5m sale to Luton Town.

Both have eventually been replaced as defenders Ed Turns joined on a two-and-a-half-year deal and Angus MacDonald signed until the end of the season.

But Alli's replacement came in the form of his replacement at Halifax Town.

Exeter City have signed Halifax's Millenic Alli replacement

Alli was signed by the Grecians from the National League outfit in January of 2024 before playing a key role for the League One side, scoring 16 goals, and departing for the Championship just 12 months later in a deal that turned a huge profit for City and a nice sell on for Town as well.

To cover for the loss of Alli, the Shayman turned, in part, to Andrew Oluwabori who joined them 12 months after the Irishman did in 2023.

Lo and behold, he's followed in Alli's footsteps again, joining Exeter in January 2025, 12 months after Alli did.

Both can play across the front line and both can be maddening and thrilling in equal measure.

Neither have arrived at St James Park as the finished article but Caldwell will be hoping he can add a regular goal threat to Oluwabori's game to make him effective for Exeter and appealing to other clubs further up the pyramid with big chequebooks.

Alli was a Marmite figure for Exeter. If there was a blind alley, he'd find it. If a pass was on he'd shoot high and wide from 35 yards out.

Somehow he did score 16 goals, but those mostly came from being in the right place and just reacting to the mayhem around him.

His lack of assists started to become a running joke among the Grecian faithful, but he did depart with one to his name in his 46 appearances for City.

Andrew Oluwabori shares similar traits to Millenic Alli

The reports from The Shay about Oluwabori seem strikingly similar, and it seems that City have signed Alli 2.0.

It's worrying that he, apparently, has a lower footballing IQ than Alli, but the quick feet and sharp shooting look to be there, judging by his highlights reel at least.

They can be deceiving, of course, but clearly, Caldwell thinks he can work with Oluwabori and craft him into something special down in Devon.

“Andrew is someone who is a replacement for Millenic Alli," Caldwell admitted on his unveiling. "But he is a slightly different type of player. He plays anywhere across the front three as wide or a number 10, and we think he can evolve into a number nine.

“He is someone who is really exciting as a young player with potential, that has pace and power, and he has scored goals at National League level. We believe with the right coaching he can be as good, if not better, than what Milli was for us.”

It's interesting that Caldwell revealed he was eyeing Oluwabori as a future City No.9 as the Grecians are still crying out for striking reinforcements with only Josh Magennis really trusted to lead the line.

For now, it seems like he'll be filling in on the wings but he'll likely have a license to roam like his former Halifax teammate.

Alli and Oluwabori have shared an uncanny route in their careers so far and it would be a masterstroke if Caldwell can work with his new man and turn him into a £1m-plus player - especially if he can do it within 12 months.