Luton Town weighing up transfer reunion for ex-Newcastle United man amid Alfie Doughty, Middlesbrough interest | OneFootball

Luton are considering Northern Ireland international Jamal Lewis as a replacement for the departing Alfie Doughty, following two straight relegations.

Luton Town are considering signing former Newcastle United defender and Northern Ireland international Jamal Lewis as a replacement Alfie Doughty, who is expected to depart this summer.

The Hatters need a reboot following two successive relegations from the Premier League to League One, and are giving consideration to bringing in a player with plenty of top flight experience as a successor for Doughty.

Matt Bloomfield's side finished the 2024-25 season in the final relegation place in the Championship on goal difference from Hull City after losing 5-3 at West Bromwich Albion on the final day of the season, and now need to rebuild for a crack at League One promotion.

Jamal Lewis identified as Luton Town transfer target amid Alfie Doughty exit talk

Journalist Alan Nixon reports that Luton are considering making an offer to Jamal Lewis, whose contract with Newcastle United expired at the end of the 2024-25 season, so he is available as a free agent.

Lewis, who is Luton born and bred and played for the club's youth system between 2009 and 2013 before giving up football briefly to train as a runner, played just 36 times for the Magpies across his five-year contract, and spent time out on loan with Watford and Sao Paulo of Brazil during that period.

Now a free agent though, Lewis is being eyed up by Luton and Bloomfield for a return to Kenilworth Road, and it comes at a time where the future of current first-choice left wing-back Doughty is very much up in the air.

Nixon has reported that the 25-year-old is expected to leave this summer due to relegation into League One, and former Town boss Rob Edwards would like to re-unite with the ex-Stoke City wide player at the Riverside Stadium, having succeeded Michael Carrick in the dugout.

Jamal Lewis could be a smart pickup for Luton Town - he's still got years ahead of him

Bringing Lewis in might be expensive for Luton, despite the absence of a transfer fee on account of him being a free agent.

Capology estimates his salary at Newcastle to have been £45,000-a-week, and getting anywhere near that figure would be far more than Luton were paying their best-paid players during their calamitous 2024-25 season.

Under normal circumstances, it might be considered reckless for a League One club to consider any player who had been earning what Lewis was at Newcastle, but Luton's circumstances following two successive relegations are far from normal.

They will still be in receipt of Premier League parachute payments next season, and as the only club in the entire division to be in receipt of them, they have a huge financial advantage over everybody else in the division. It is expected that they will receive around £40 million for this season.

The cost of Lewis's wages can be offset against those that Luton won't be paying Alfie Doughty, should he leave Kenilworth Road.

Capology estimate Doughty's wage for the 2024-25 season to have been £27,500-a-week. Doughty signed a contract extension in September 2024, and although the length of this extension has not been disclosed, this does mean that a transfer fee will likely be paid by Middlesbrough, should he leave the club.

But Doughty will need replacing if he leaves, and Lewis would be an excellent choice.

He may have to take a pay cut, but with a substantial financial advantage over much of the rest of the division and plans pushing ahead to be in a new stadium in three years' time, Luton could be the right move for the Northern Ireland international.