Ipswich Town is finalizing a significant transfer for Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene in a deal worth £20 million. The 22-year-old is scheduled to undergo a medical at Portman Road, marking the end of his short stint back at Villa Park.
Despite interest from European clubs, including teams in La Liga, Ipswich has succeeded in their efforts to sign the England under-21 star. The influence of manager Kieran McKenna has been instrumental in sealing the deal.
A long-running transfer saga
Philogene’s transfer journey has been a protracted one. Last summer, Ipswich initially reached an agreement with Hull City for a fee of around £18 million. However, Aston Villa exercised their buy-back clause, taking the player back to Birmingham after selling him to Hull in 2023.
Hull received approximately £13.5 million from that arrangement, as Villa had included a 30% sell-on clause in their previous agreement. Despite returning to Villa Park, Philogene struggled to make a significant impact under manager Unai Emery. His appearances included four starts – one of which came in the Champions League against Bayern Munich – and 11 substitute outings.
Aiming to boost survival chances
The Tractor Boys, currently sitting 18th in the Premier League, are eager to bolster their squad as they fight to avoid relegation. Philogene, who was reportedly keen to work with McKenna during the summer, now appears ready to commit to a move to Suffolk.
Ipswich has already strengthened their team in January with the loan signing of defender Ben Godfrey from Atalanta. Adding Philogene’s pace and creativity is expected to give them an additional edge as they look to climb out of the relegation zone.
