Town boss Kieran McKenna has outlined the current position regarding the Blues’ move for Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene.
Yesterday, Villa boss Unai Emery said that his club completing the addition of Dutch international Donyell Malen was dependent on Philogene finalising his £20 million switch to the Blues.
That move was announced yesterday evening and Philogene, 22, and his representative were pictured at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall close to the Blues’ Playford Road training ground, but with the move still to be confirmed.
Asked about the current situation at his pre-match press conference, McKenna eschewed his usual position of not commenting on players with other clubs.
"I'll nearly always take the approach of not speaking about another team's player, but I think in this case it's fair to say a couple of things because they've publicly said that he might be a player who's leaving,” he said.
"So, of course, Jaden's a player we are talking to, he’s a player that we like, who we've tried to bring to the club in previous windows and we think he's got qualities to really fit in here. So, if it's possible to bring him to the club, we'd like to do so.
"I think what's really important in all this is that Jaden is really keen to come to the football club. I think it's been a slightly longer process than we would have wanted, but it's been steadfast within all that Jaden believes in the project here.
"He has shown a desire to come here, not just now but in the summer as well. It's pretty well known that we tried to bring Jaden to the football club in the summer and amongst having the options of quite a lot of well-established Premier League clubs, his expressed desire was to come here.
"It was something that we tried to do in the end, but it wasn't possible with the contractual situation with Aston Villa, and he went back to his previous club.
"He's shown a good desire to be here through the last couple of windows. He's a player that we know well, he's a player that we like and we'd like to bring to the football club.
"It's a complicated deal for the football club to do because he's a young player who's just signed a five-year contract with Aston Villa in the summer, so that's not an easy deal for Ipswich Town to do. Aston Villa have to get the best deal possible for their club.
"The player's representatives have to get the best deal and make sure the security is right for the player. And for us, it's very important that every deal we do is right for the now but also helps the progression of the football club in the longer term, and also protects the football club in the longer term. So, that's a pretty complicated deal to do.
"I think people are working pretty hard on it. I think there's been some progress today. If all those things can match up, then he's a player that we'd like to have at the club. It's not quite completed yet, but I think things are progressing pretty well and, as I say, if it can be completed then he's a player we'd be happy to have.”
Quizzed on whether he’s happy to allow transfer negotiations go to the wire or whether he sets his own deadlines, McKenna said: "I think every situation is different. You want to get it done as early as possible, and you're really conscious that, especially in the Premier League.
"Compared to the Championship, there are not that many games, relatively speaking. There are 18 games left and by Monday, there'll be 16 games left.
"You want to get your stuff done as early in the window as possible because you've got more chance of having an impact in more of the games and players take time to settle in January usually, so the quicker you can get that process started, the further along there'll be.
"But I don't think you set any deadline universally across all players. Last January window, for example, I think we signed Jeremy Sarmiento and Lewis Travis really early in the window. We wanted to sign a striker in the window and we weren't able to for a good period of weeks.
"We actually had one or two strikers leave the building and we weren't able to sign Kieffer Moore until maybe the last day of the window, who was a striker that we really wanted at the club.
"But because he was such a clear target and we really believed he'd be an important player for us, we were prepared to wait for that one, and we had to wait for that one.
"So, I think each individual case is different. You're aware of the clock, and the season is ticking along, but I think you always have to make some judgement calls on each player.”
Asked whether there's anything he can do to hasten the completion of the Philogene deal, McKenna added: "Nothing personally from me. I have had some contact with the player in the appropriate manner.
"The main thing for me is the player’s desire to be here and his wish is to join us, but apart from that then, it’s out of my hands. If it’s the right thing for all parties, then I’m sure it will get done.”