Luton Town are reportedly showing interest in keeper Christian Walton, who has been on loan with the Blues from Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 26-year-old is set to return to the Seagulls after the Premier League club activated a recall clause with seven days’ notice earlier this week.

Discussions between the Blues and the Sussex club are continuing with manager Kieran McKenna saying after yesterday’s game that the last he had heard the club was “positive a solution would be met with Brighton”.

Now, according to The Sun on Sunday, the Hatters are showing interest in signing Walton, who is out of contract at the Amex Stadium in the summer.

It’s said that Walton’s £13,000-a-week wage at Brighton - which Town will have been paying a proportion of during his loan spell - is an obstacle for both clubs but with the Blues able to make the keeper a better offer than the Bedfordshire side, who are currently 13th in the Championship.

Walton, who previously spent the first half of 2016/17 on loan at Luton, has been one of Town's best performers since joining in August. When asked about his future following the FA Cup replay defeat to Barrow, he was unable to comment but said he was happy at Portman Road.

“I think that sort of thing is best left to the hierarchy within the clubs,” he said. “I’ve nothing to say on that at the minute because I don’t really know my situation. All I do know is that I’m playing for Ipswich Town and I’m really enjoying my football here.

“I think my form’s been good but I don’t think that’s for me to talk about at this moment, after a 2-0 defeat at Barrow.

“As long as I can keep doing as much as I can for the team within games then hopefully it spirals and has a knock-on effect throughout the team.

“I will always want to be doing better and will continue to work hard and apply myself. This is a great football club to be playing for and I love playing for the club.

“This is a massive football club and any player within the divisions would want to come and play for Ipswich.

“You’ve seen the players that we’ve recruited in the summer from higher divisions and you can see from the support that we get how good the club is. I’m really enjoying my time here.”

Walton is also understood to have a strong relationship with new goalkeeper-coach Rene Gilmartin, the pair having been at Plymouth together early in his career.

Photo: Matchday Images

Gforce added 11:07 - Jan 16 Hopefully we can keep hold of him and the two clubs can agree terms.He has certainly been a very consistent performer for us,apart from his debut against Bolton. But if it doesn't happen ,I'm sure the club will have alternatives lined up.There must be must be a few quality fringe keepers available from the premier league and championship, as most of these clubs employ three keepers these days.

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bkb added 12:16 - Jan 16 I know I will be in the minority on this but I just think he concedes too many goals like the first one yesterday. For a big man he is often “ caught in traffic” at corners and fails to dominate his area. I am not saying we have anyone better but I do think we could do better.
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brendenward35 added 12:18 - Jan 16 Reports means agents talking rubbish, trying to force Ashtons hands. Like selling a house suddenly you get a lots of people interested so the seller gets their asking price. Let's see what Ashton has up his sleeves
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Zondervanromeo added 13:10 - Jan 16 ha ha Luton
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blues1 added 13:19 - Jan 16 Zondervanromeo. Why u laughing at luton? They're a championship club at the end of the day. And really don't see how, as stated in the story, that we could offer him a better deal than they can, with the cap on our budget.
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Zondervanromeo added 13:28 - Jan 16 Seriously blues1 have you been to Luton ! Surely they're not a threat to this deal
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ChrisFelix added 14:10 - Jan 16 Until 5 o'clock yesterday I had hoped that we would be offering hum Championship football next season. However with the defeats continuing I'm afraid it Division 3 football again next season
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Ipswichbusiness added 14:27 - Jan 16 13k a week is a heck of a lot of money. To think that Brighton are paying that for their third choice ‘keeper! I rather suspected that when Brighton triggered the recall that there must be someone else in the wings and it seems that I was correct.
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buzbyblue added 15:22 - Jan 16 He has his moments as do all keepers, As said 13k is alot even for a championship side to cough up, let alone us whom really look like we'll be Div 1 again next season I can't help wondering if HLADKY might show the form from last season with a proper keeper coach now?
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ringwoodblue added 15:28 - Jan 16 ChrisFelix - you are correct, promotion looks very unlikely this season so all we can offer him is third division football and wages so unfortunately a permanent move for Walton won't be happening
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Cadiar added 15:47 - Jan 16 Like Bart's move to Milwall it wouldn't wouldn't be a good move for Walton to go to Luton unless he's happy playing in front of small crowds. Can't see Luton could match us on wages unless the cap was to be broken. Maybe we have someone else in our sites. I expect a few players moving on probably Holy amongst them, this might ease things.
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ArnieM added 15:48 - Jan 16 If it's down to where the player wants to go, he might choose Championship money / stage ( but living near Beirut and playing at Kenilworth Rd, or League one restrictions for now and PR . It could go either way tbh. But he was supposedly keen to stay with us . Fingers crossed 🤞
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Zondervanromeo added 15:52 - Jan 16 No wonder they called him back if he Really is on 13k a week . i suspect the new deal would be something like half that ,which is probably what we're paying him at the moment, If any championship clubs wanna pay more for him then so be it !!we have a decent number 2give him a run to the end of the season,
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istanblue added 16:21 - Jan 16 If this had been under Evans we would be well out the running. But with Gamechanger at the helm they can seal this if the terms are fair.
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MickMillsTash added 16:50 - Jan 16 Great save in the first half yesterday We have players who have dropped down divisions to play for us and will easily be earning 13K/ week - I would argue Walton has been one of our top performers this season. Luton kept their captain when we showed interest in the summer so if the story is true they can compete. Sign him up
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Linkboy13 added 16:51 - Jan 16 Dont think this deal will happen. Will probably get another third choice keeper from the championship or Premier league there's plenty of them about. One thing's for sure you will not find a keeper that's going to make zero mistakes and if you think otherwise your living in cloud cuckoo land.
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not_a_witty_name added 18:13 - Jan 16 It didn't look goodbye when he left the pitch yesterday.
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Millsey added 19:15 - Jan 16 Ruddy hell Luton may be a champ club but like a lot of them, relying on the money coming in from outside not from attendances
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Nobbysnuts added 20:55 - Jan 16 Luton is about as appealing as a stag do in syria.....
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chepstowblue added 22:15 - Jan 16 He's way too good for league1 and should be playing in the championship at the very worst. We have good cover in all positions, but the difference between Walton and Hladky is seismic and our inability to keep him would put paid to the miniscule chance we have of reaching the play offs. It seems a no brainer that he'd choose a very impressive Luton team.
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runningout added 10:57 - Jan 17 think the realist know we have to except some players will avoid League 1 football
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