news-engine

← auxerre

Hatters assistant declares Auxerre switch is a 'good move' for defender

· Mike Simmonds · 2026-07-23 · nguồn gốc

Hatters assistant declares Auxerre switch is a 'good move' for defender Makosso heads to France after making Kenilworth Road exit Town assistant manager Chris Powell insists that defender Christ Makosso’s transfer to Ligue 1 side Auxerre represents a 'good move’ for the young centre half. The 22-year-old had moved to Kenilworth Road from Belgian outfit RWD Molenbeek back in January 2025, and having had his chance in the second half of the 2-0 defeat at Watford a month or so later, established himself in the side under former boss Matt Bloomfield. He quickly won over supporters as well, named both the SoLYD Young Player of the Season and the Pelly Ruddock Signing of the Season at the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust end of year awards. Following relegation to League One, the Congo international was expected to play a starring role in Luton’s intended promotion push back to the Championship last term, but neither happened, as Makosso served a three game ban after being guilty of violent conduct in an off-the-ball incident during Town’s second match at Peterborough United. He then started the next four matches, but was dropped to the bench by Bloomfield at Lincoln City having turned up late for a team meeting, although was back in the side for the following fixture, forced to play right back at times. Having begun all but one of the matches he was available for, Makosso did start Jack Wilshere’s maiden outing in charge too, a 2-0 loss at home to Mansfield, but was almost immediately out of favour afterwards, named in the starting line-up just three more times. Loaned out to Championship outfit Oxford United in January, reuniting with Bloomfield, Makosso was in the U’s team immediately, only to be dropped to the bench due to his late timekeeping for a match against West Bromwich Albion in March and didn’t feature for the final two months of the campaign. After returning to Bedfordshire, the centre half was linked with a summer move away and it went through last week when he was snapped up by the Stade Abbé-Deschamps club, who finished 15th last term, returning to a country where he once played for Sochaux earlier in his career. Powell thinks it will be good fit for Makosso and all parties, saying: “Absolutely. I got to like him really well over the time we worked with him, but I think for him, he needed to play. "He’s at that very important stage, he’s still a very young man, but the French League is very well suited to him, his attributes and what he’s about, communication-wise it will be good for him. It’s a good league, he’s got a good manager, it’s a good club, it's a good move for everyone. Hopefully we’ll see him from afar doing well and that’s all we wish for anyone that’s worn our shirt, that once their stint is done with us, we wish them well wherever they go.”