Luton Town have confirmed former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere will be the club’s new first team manager.
Wilshere, 33, has signed a contract of undisclosed length at Kenilworth Road as the Hatters’ successor to Matt Bloomfield, who was dismissed as Luton’s Head Coach last week after a slow start to the 2025/26 League Two season.
The Hatters have also confirmed that Chris Powell will serve as his assistant manager, bringing in a man who previously served as a first-team manager at Charlton and Huddersfield, as well as working in coaching roles with the England national team, Spurs and Sheffield Wednesday among others.
The move is Wilshere’s first appointment as a first team manager or head coach. After retiring from the game due to persistent injury issues, Wilshere had moved into coaching, having previously served as a head coach of Arsenal’s under-18s team and working as an assistant at Norwich City last season, taking care of the final games of the season after Norwich dismissed Johannes Hoff Thorup.
Wilshere’s move sees him make a full circle return to Luton, having begun his playing career in the Hatters’ academy set up before moving to Arsenal at age 9 in the early 2000s. He made close to 200 first team appearances for Arsenal, winning 2 FA Cups in the mid-2010s and also winning 34 England national team caps.
The move sees Wilshere become Luton’s third permanent manager or head coach of 2025, after the Hatters dismissed Rob Edwards in January and Bloomfield last week. The club currently sit 11th in the League One table after 11 matches, with the Hatters having been relegated in each of the last two seasons to fall from the Premier League to English football’s third tier.
In a statement on the Luton Town website, Wilshere voiced his excitement at becoming the club’s new boss.
He said, “It’s a huge honour and a privilege to be named Luton Town manager. It feels like a full-circle moment for me. I was eight when I first came to Luton as a boy, so I guess you could say it’s fate that my first full-time club managerial position is at this club.
“I couldn’t be more delighted to be here – I can’t wait to manage this football club.
“This Club’s story inspires me. Built on belief, unity, and hard work. The Club have shown incredible character on and off the pitch in recent times, and I’m honoured to lead to take the responsibility to lead this group into the future.
“There’s so much of the season still to play for and I’m excited about getting to work and putting my own stamp on things, and moving this club forward in a positive direction.
“I want to give the Luton fans a team they can be proud of, and the work to do that starts today.”
Luton Town CEO Gary Sweet added, “Jack’s passion, intelligence, and modern approach to the game align perfectly with the values and ambitions of Luton Town. His experience at the highest level and commitment to developing talent make him the ideal fit for our next chapter.
“Luton has always been a part of his journey, and as a club renowned for giving young coaches their break in management, we are so pleased to welcome him back.
“He already knows a number of our squad, and as a Board we are all excited at the prospect of seeing his career progress alongside someone as respected in the game as Chris.”