Luton Town head coach Rob Edwards has confirmed that the club's scouts flew to South America during the international break to watch LDU Quito youngster Oscar Zambrano.
The 19-year-old is quickly becoming one of the biggest prospects in South American football after making his first-team debut in September 2021.
Zambrano has featured seven times in the Copa Sudamericana this term, helping LDU to reach the final against Brazilian side Fortaleza on October 28.
The midfielder also has relative international pedigree, representing Ecuador at the Under-20 World Cup in the summer, with La Tri reaching the knockout stages before losing to South Korea in the round of 16.
Following speculation over the past few months surrounding a potential move for Zambrano from Luton, Hatters boss Rob Edwards has provided an insight into how the recruitment process is beginning to change in Bedfordshire.
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"Not the bid (for Zambrano) as far as I know, but we have travelled out there, not just to see him, but to have a look at number of games and do a little bit of scouting work out there as well, which I suppose the reports were correct in elements of it," said Edwards.
"I think that's a real positive for us as well, like we said last time, we're starting to spread the net wide, there's some real talent out there.
"It's important we keep moving forward and keep progressing, as recruitment is a huge thing.
"It's important we keep our finger on the pulse with that one and we're looking at where the best young players are."
The 40-year-old alludes to reports during the latter stages of the summer that Luton had sent chief scout Phil Chapple to South America to watch Zambrano in person.
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It was also claimed that the Hatters had a £3.6m bid for the young midfielder turned down, although Edwards is suggesting that those rumours were wide of the mark.
LDU Quito director Esteban Paz has previously spoken to a local radio station in Ecuador and stated that the Premier League side had submitted an offer for the player.
"There is interest from Luton Town for Oscar Zambrano," Paz told the Ecuadorian radio station Mach Deportes earlier in the month.
"In Argentina we had a short meeting, the offer is $4.5m (£3.6m), but it does not meet our expectations. In the negotiation we must be careful with Oscar's rights and resources, and we have told him so."
Luton signed Andros Townsend as a free agent during the international break, and the former Tottenham Hotspur winger could make his Hatters debut at Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
Carter White
