Wycombe Wanderers cannot allow Luton Town target to follow Matt Bloomfield out the door | OneFootball

Wycombe Wanderers cannot allow Richard Kone to join Matt Bloomfield at Luton Town this January.

Following Matt Bloomfield's departure to Luton Town, Wycombe Wanderers can't afford to let anyone else leave the club this January.

It's been a hectic January so far for the Chairboys, as both Aaron Morley and Caleb Taylor were recalled earlier in the window. Bloomfield then surprisingly left the club he'd had a 21-year affiliation with for Championship strugglers, Luton. Not to mention the constant rumblings regarding the futures of both Joe Low and Richard Kone.

The latter has scored 13 times in League One this season, giving £20m man Jay Stansfield a run for his money. This has naturally seen reported interest in the striker, who has been a revelation since joining Wycombe from Athletic Newham in January 2024. However, with three key departures, the Wanderers must fight tooth and nail to retain the Ivorian talisman.

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

As revealed exclusively by Football League World in December, Luton were weighing up a move for the 21-year-old. The Hatters have lacked firepower up front, as Elijah Adebayo has struggled so far this season.

Recently, the Bedfordshire outfit lost another striker in Joe Taylor, who joined Huddersfield Town for a reported fee of £3m. The Welshman had been linked with the Terriers in the summer, but a move failed to materialise. But, Michael Duff's team didn't give up on their target, eventually securing his signature in early January.

This departure has freed up space for a new striker to come to Kenilworth Road, and one of those understood to be on Luton's radar is Kone. Now with his former manager, Bloomfield, at the helm of the Hatters, a potential deal could be more likely as the 40-year-old has seen the Ivorian's quality first hand.

A young forward scoring goals for fun is a commodity in the EFL, so when one begins to surface, clubs will be queuing up to try and sign said forward. However, Luton having Kone's former manager at the helm, could now give them the upper hand in the race to sign the non-league import.

Wycombe mustn't sell Kone in January after key departures

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

The first two weeks of January have been a real rollercoaster of emotions for Chairboys supporters. From losing two key players and the manager, to breaking the transfer record, this January has had it all.

According to reports, Wycombe are once again set to smash their transfer record with the signing of Magnus Westergaard from Viborg. However, the more immediate concern is who will become the next manager, and if they can hit the ground running and continue the promotion charge.

Whilst the departures of Morley, Taylor and Bloomfield aren't guaranteed to derail the season, the Buckinghamshire club will be reluctant to allow anyone else to depart Adams Park this window. Too much change in the middle of the season could have a negative impact on the squad, risking results on the pitch taking a turn for the worst.

That being said, Kone's goals have been crucial to Wycombe's success so far this season. To lose their star striker on top of the manager and two other key members of the squad could seriously harm results on the pitch.

Working with the exciting youngster will also be a seriously attractive prospect for any manager, so Wycombe can use that to their advantage in the hunt for Bloomfield's replacement, which would make the job even more appealing for plenty of candidates.