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McKenna: Philogene a Strong Option on the Right - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Kieran McKenna says January signing Jaden Philogene is a strong option on the right but says the 23-year-old is also capable of playing on the left.

Philogene, who joined the Blues from Aston Villa for an initial £20 million in January, bagged his fourth England U21s goal in the friendly victory over Portugal last week, cutting in from the left and curling a low right-footed shot into the corner of the net.

So far, most of his football for Town has come on the right with the Blues short on numbers in that area after Chiedozie Ogbene and Wes Burns suffered long-term injuries.

"I think in the long term, he's definitely someone who can do both [the left and the right] and that's part of the idea with Jaden coming here, which is that he's a player who can develop in both,” McKenna said.

"He did both last year for Hull as well and for a right-footer, playing on the right opens up certain things a little bit easier. It's easier to go outside, cross, maybe shoot on the outside. Playing on the left makes it a little bit easier for certain things.

"Certainly, it's the case at the moment that we're short of right-sided options. After Jaden arrived was when we lost Wes for the season, so that's made us a lot lighter on the right and heavier on the left. 

"It's not impossible that he'll play some minutes on the left, as he has already, but I think he's certainly a strong option for us on the right at the moment and that's where the biggest area of need is with the squad at the moment.”

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