Youngster has penned season-long loan deal at Kenilworth Road
Luton’s on-loan Tottenham Hotspur attacker Jamie Donley has revealed he felt like he was ‘pushed away’ by Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi ahead of his move to Kenilworth Road this summer.
The 21-year-old came through the ranks with the north London club, having joined at the age of eight, making four first team appearances, but was increasingly allowed to develop elsewhere, with a fine loan spell at Leyton Orient in the 2024-25 campaign, where he scored eight goals in 39 league outings, before two moves that weren’t quite as successful last term, heading to Championship duo Stoke City and Oxford United.
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Donley then got his fair share of minutes for his parent club during their summer tour of Australia and New Zealand, making a good impact on former Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille manager De Zerbi, but was once more then allowed to depart, heading to Bedfordshire. Speaking about his move away from a club he has been at for over a decade, Donley, speaking to the Irish News, said: “When I came in for pre-season I spoke to (De Zerbi) a little bit and he said that he liked me, and I went out to Australia and played quite a lot.
“Then a few of the lads came back from the World Cup and so then I was kind of pushed away a little bit. Towards the end of the window, I had a clear idea of what I was going to be doing. It’s difficult because there’s so many players and they’re signing £100million players. I’m not arrogant enough to think I’m going to be playing over them. They don’t really give you a pathway. It’s about getting minutes. I’m still young so it’s about doing well and going back next year and showing progress.”
Although he has played as an attacking midfielder for the majority of his career, and by Luton boss Jack Wilshere, Donley began Northern Ireland’s Nations League goalless draw against Hungary on Monday night in the number nine role. With two goals from his 12 caps to date, it’s a role he is relishing, and may well continue in during this evening’s clash out in Ukraine. He added: “(The manager, Michael O’Neill) gives me a lot of confidence. He has trust in me.
"Obviously I’m playing striker, which is not a natural position for me, but I’ve got a couple of goals and I’d like to think I could score a couple more. (O’Neill) speaks to me about what he wants and I guess it’s not that much different to playing as a number 10. Obviously you’re the highest player, so you’re always going to have your back to goal, but I think I link up quite well and hopefully if I get some chances I can put them away. I think even as a number 10 I’d have myself as a really good finisher.”