Why Luton Town have signed George Saville - Matt Bloomfield has revealed it | OneFootball

Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield has explained why the club decided to sign midfielder George Saville from Millwall.

Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield has claimed George Saville is the type of character the club will need next season if they are to win promotion from League One after completing the signing of the Millwall midfielder.

Luton were widely tipped to be among the promotion contenders in the Championship last season after their relegation from the Premier League, but it certainly did not work out that way, and Bloomfield was tasked with keeping the club in the division when he made the move from Wycombe Wanderers to replace Rob Edwards in January.

After a slow start to his tenure, the Hatters improved significantly under Bloomfield to give themselves hope of survival, but they were relegated on goal difference on the final day of the season following a 5-3 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Bloomfield has wasted no time in getting to work on rebuilding his squad as he looks to guide Luton back to the second tier at the first time of asking, and after signing defender Kal Naismith from Bristol City on a permanent basis, he made his second addition of the summer as Saville arrived at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday.

Saville had spent the previous four years with Millwall, and he was a regular for Alex Neil's side in the Championship last season as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs, but despite holding talks with the Lions over a new contract, he was unable to reach an agreement to extend his stay at the club, and he has now decided to drop down to League One to join the Hatters.

Matt Bloomfield speaks out as George Saville swaps Millwall for Luton Town

Bloomfield revealed that Saville turned down offers from the Championship in order to make the move to Luton, and he insisted that the 32-year-old's leadership and quality will be beneficial to his side as they look to challenge for promotion from League One next season.

"We’re really pleased to sign George not just because of the experience and quality he’ll bring, but because he’s really enthused about the challenge that lies ahead," Bloomfield told the club's official website.

"He’s chosen us over some Championship offers which shows his belief in our club, and that’s the type of character we’re after.

"A tactically astute defensive midfielder and a player who can influence those around him, we’re hoping George can help us with his leadership and ability to knit the game together in the middle of the pitch.

"He’s going to be an important component of the squad as we start to mould the group for what we need next season, and I’m extremely happy to have got this first piece of important business over the line already."

Saville admitted that he had proposals on the table from second tier clubs, but he claimed that, after holding talks with Bloomfield, his decision to join the Hatters was "clear-cut" and a "no-brainer", and he believes the switch to Kenilworth Road gives him "an opportunity to achieve something".

As well as discussing the possibility of a new contract at Millwall, it seems Saville had interest from other Championship clubs, so it is certainly a big coup for Luton to have managed to convince him to drop down to League One.

Saville was a regular starter for a Lions side that finished eighth last season, so he is a player that is arguably too good to be plying his trade in the third tier, and the arrival of the Northern Ireland international sends a strong message to the rest of the division about the Hatters' intentions next season.

Despite suffering relegation, there were already plenty of reasons for Luton supporters to be optimistic heading into the summer after the strong form they showed under Bloomfield towards the end of the season, and the signings of Naismith and Saville are proof of the 41-year-old's pulling power, with more high-profile additions likely over the coming months.