Luton sign Tromso striker Nordas as Holmes departs

Lasse Nordas has played 12 games for Norway Under-21s

Luton Town have signed Norwegian striker Lasse Nordas from Tromso for an undisclosed fee, while Hatters centre-half Tom Holmes has left to join Belgian top-flight side FCV Dender on loan.

Holmes, 24, joined Luton from Reading in January 2024 and, after a loan spell back with the Royals last term, has featured 20 times for the Championship club this season.

Nordas, 22, started his career at Lillestrom and played Champions League football for Bodo/Glimt before joining Tromso in 2022, initially on loan.

He scored 18 goals in 63 appearances for them, including 11 in the 2024 campaign, during which they appeared in the Europa Conference League.

"Lasse's a really exciting signing for us, with the potential that he brings as well as goals at the top of the pitch," said Luton boss Matt Bloomfield.

"He's an under-21 International and has played European football, but this is his off-season, so we've got to be careful with him and build him up slowly."

Nordas has been a Norway Under-21 team-mate of another Luton January signing, Thelo Aasgaard, who made his Hatters debut at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend after joining from Wigan Athletic.

"I felt ready to take the step out of Norway and I feel that this is a great step for me to take," Nordas said.

"It's a place I feel like I can stay in for a lot of years and of course I want to make an impact on the pitch as soon as possible. I will probably need a bit of time to adapt, but I want to make an impact on the team from day one."

A statement on the Tromso website said the deal was "one of the biggest sales" in their history.

Luton have not won for nine games in all competitions and are second bottom of the Championship ahead of their next match, against Sunderland on 12 February.