Luton Town agree to sign George Johnston as medical scheduled
Luton Town have won the race to sign former Bolton Wanderers captain George Johnston on a free transfer, sources have told Football Insider.
The 27-year-old is now due to undergo a medical at Kenilworth Road before putting the finishing touches in place to finalise his move.
Luton have beaten off interest from the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford City and Stockport County to agree a deal in what is seen as a major coup.
Johnston was a crucial part of the Bolton squad which clinched promotion to the Championship last time out as he made 50 appearances across all competitions.
His availability as a free agent placed a number of clubs in the third tier on alert, but Luton have moved quickly to beat rivals to his signature and are set to complete his signing.
The deal will be completed when he contract at Bolton officially expires on 30 June, with a deal set to be finalised barring any late twists.
How did Luton beat rival clubs to sign George Johnston?
Johnston emerged as a leading target for Luton due to his availability, as the Hatters aim to finally bounce back up to the Championship ahead of next season.
Jack Wilshere's side are putting ambitious plans in place to strengthen in the summer transfer window, and the addition of a new centre-back ranked high on their list of priorities.
Luton are planning to compete with their rivals for promotion next season, and have already taken a positive step after beating them to sign the centre-back.
Johnston's experience in League One is seen as a major asset, while his proven reliability and a number of impressive performances attracted high-profile interest.
Which other players are on Luton's radar?
The addition of a new centre-back has been high on Luton's list of priorities this summer, with multiple options being considered ahead of the window opening.
A deal for Johnston will come as a major boost for Wilshere and his side, but they remain in for other defenders, as they continue to keep tabs on Arkell Jude-Boyd.
Football Insider revaled in April that Luton are strong suitors for Jude-Boyd after a strong season at Cheltenham Town in League Two.
League One rivals Plymouth Argyle are also believed to be keeping tabs on the defender's situation as he is set to leave Cheltenham upon the expiry of his contract.
Similar to Johnston, his availability as a free agent has placed a number of EFL clubs on high alert, and Luton remain strongly interested ahead of next month.