Defender Kal Naismith will return to Luton Town on a free transfer after leaving Bristol City.

The 33-year-old had spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan with the Hatters, and he has now made a full move back to Bedfordshire, with the defender signing a contract of undisclosed length at Kenilworth Road.

Naismith had previously been contracted to Luton after an 18 month spell with the club. He joined in January 2021 and made 68 appearances for the club before leaving for Bristol in the summer of 2022.

The Scotsman returned on loan in January 2025, making 10 appearances in Luton’s ultimately unsuccessful attempts to avoid relegation.

Despite the drop, Naismith has opted to return to Luton as they prepare for League One football in the 2025/26 season.

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield told the club’s official website that he was excited to bring him back to be a key part of the Hatters’ squad.

He said, “It’s really important that Kal is signing for us. He’s an incredibly well-respected figure here and has a fantastic history with our football club.

“He’s going to be a real leader for us in the dressing room and on the pitch, he has got lots of quality and a great left foot.

“Above all, he has fantastic organisational and leadership skills and he’s going to play an integral part on and off the pitch for us next season.”

Naismith himself said he was delighted to return to the club and even suggested he would like to retire at Luton Town, with a desire to help the club recover from their relegation to League One.

He said, “I’m delighted to be back. Coming back on loan was amazing, but coming back now as a Luton player is special, and I’m so happy.

“The intention was always to come back, and as soon as the season was done, it was evident, speaking to the people at the club, speaking to the manager, that we all wanted the same. I wanted to continue the journey, so there was no other option in my head.

“I think a lot of people are like me and they think the same: when they come here, you get attached – it is a special club that does that.

“Some clubs just fit, and this club just fits for me. At the stage of my career, I’m still so hungry to be successful and play games.

“I’ve not signed a life-time contract but look, I would love to, I would tomorrow, because this is where I want to play until I’m done.

“I’ve still got so much left and so much I want to achieve. This is my club, and that feels just special. I feel wanted, I feel content. I feel every sort of bit of fire inside me when I’m here.

“A week after the season, when I got rid of the disappointment and I knew I was coming back, I was like ‘I’m not finishing like that’.

“If I ever leave the club, I want to leave on a high, so I want to get the club back where it belongs and that starts first day of pre-season.”