Luton Town gain immediate boost over Leicester City in League One title bid | OneFootball

Jack Wilshere snubbed Leicester City's approach to become their new manager, which gives Luton Town a massive boost ahead of next season

Lincoln City aside, there wasn't a more impressive side in League One during the final few months of the campaign than Luton Town.

It took a while for Jack Wilshere to find his feet in his first managerial role at Luton. It wasn't plain sailing immediately for the former Arsenal midfielder at Kenilworth Road, but that was arguably down to the state of the club following consecutive relegations.

Indeed, once the 34-year-old began to figure out his best tactics and had a squad he was confident of following the January transfer window closing, the Hatters were a formidable side.

Luton lost just three times in 19 games post-January, won the EFL Trophy, and went unbeaten in their final 11 league outings, even becoming just the second side to beat Bolton Wanderers at the Toughsheet Stadium in league action on the final day.

A late Stevenage winner against Wigan Athletic stopped the Hatters from squeezing into the top six after that win against Bolton, but there's no doubt that, if Luton and Wilshere can capitalise on that momentum generated in the second half of the season next term, the Championship could be in their near future.

Therefore, news about a potential divisional switch for their young manager would have been a nightmare-ish start to pre-season. Luckily enough, Wilshere seems to be staying put.

Luton Town given a massive boost as Jack Wilshere snubs Leicester City

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With a full pre-season in the bag, many are tipping Wilshere to be among the top managers in League One next season. But there was a possibility that he could have been managing a different third-tier side.

It's been revealed that Leicester City, who will be beginning just their second third-tier campaign in their existence next season, approached the 34-year-old over their vacant dugout position following their relegation from the Championship - an approach that Wilshere declined.

The BBC reports that the Luton boss would prefer to stay at Kenilworth Road to continue the work he's done in his first half year at the club, and did not want to take another job in League One, which is a massive boost for the Hatters.

Leicester, like Luton last year, will be angling for a return to the Championship in the wake of consecutive relegations from the Premier League, and the two sides are among the pre-season favourites for promotion.

If the Foxes stole their rivals' manager, not only would it force Luton to take time out of their pre-season to search for a replacement, who could take some time to get acquainted with his surroundings as Wilshere did, but it would mean that Leicester would benefit from the teething process that the 34-year-old has seemingly moved past, allowing him to hit the ground running at the King Power.

Now, unless a Championship club comes in for Wilshere, which seems unlikely, as the only vacancies are for clubs expected to battle at the top end of the table, Luton are expected to begin next season with their current boss, allowing them to continue where they left off last year.

Jack Wilshere's decision could deliver a damning verdict on Leicester City's current state

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A lot has been said about Leicester's current off-field state, with plenty of disgruntlement being aimed at the higher-ups at the King Power following their back-to-back relegations to League One.

Now, Luton's manager is rejecting the opportunity to go and manage at Leicester, and while that could be due to the project he's building at Kenilworth Road, it could indicate that a move to the former Premier League champions isn't as big a step-up as it really should be.

The Foxes will have the best training facilities in the third tier, will play at one of the biggest stadiums and arguably have the most history behind them compared to their divisional rivals, but currently, it doesn't look to be the most stable place to go and work.

Psychologically, that could give Leicester a massive disadvantage, as perhaps they aren't going to be the powerhouse club in the third tier that many at the club expect them to be, given their recent history.

That can all change during the summer as the Foxes find their feet ahead of the campaign. But now, Luton is seen as a better place for Wilshere to continue growing as a manager, which must sting slightly at the King Power Stadium.