Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
McKenna: Philogene Really Keen to Come to Town
Wednesday, 15th Jan 2025 14:28

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.”


Photo: IMAGO/Pro Sports Images via Reuters Connect



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



jayceee added 14:38 - Jan 15
"player's representatives have to get the best deal"

I'm sure that's right, but would be nice if it could be done in a way that doesn't tarnish the player's reputation.
4

herobobby added 14:39 - Jan 15
I do hope after all this waiting and hassle to get this done,and he does finally rock up at Town,
Please let him hit the ground running or its going to be a very uncomfortable time for the lad
No one knows whats going on the background but its just going to be hard work for the lad if he comes and doesnt produce
3

DerbyBlue76 added 14:40 - Jan 15
Sounding promising. I have found some of the comments on this forum and elsewhere surprising, questioning his commitment etc. I imagine these things are complicated with many parties involved all of whom have their own interests and needs and therefore a lot of inter-dependencies. You just have to look at what can happen when buying a house, which is obviously a lot less money than buying a top-end footballer. On the outside this stuff looks like it is quite simple, but on the inside I imagine it is quite complex. Lets not jump to conclusions about players intentions when we only know a bit of the story
23

Maltster added 14:41 - Jan 15
It sounds as if his agent is being greedy
3

dirtydingusmagee added 14:42 - Jan 15
Agent taking p. Dump it move on .Wasted far too much time on this player past year, he will get a rough ride from fans after all this if he dosnt come up with the gopds .
-23

Suffolkboy added 14:43 - Jan 15
KM a beacon of integrity and discretion ,but gives the unvarnished truth whenever he can !
This deal is obviously complicated to both unwind and reconstitute but we should have every faith in those at ITFC charged with doing the business .
COYB
12

dirtydingusmagee added 14:46 - Jan 15
Cant help thinking Everton are behind the delays.
.
-8

Alphawhiskey added 14:46 - Jan 15
In other words, his agent is messing us around yet again, just like last time.
Trying to hang out for a better deal or bigger club which would mean a bigger pay-out for himself (the agent)
Move on, time and the transfer window is ticking by.......
-5

Gforce added 14:53 - Jan 15
Villa probably asking for a ridiculously high sell on clause.
I think sell on clauses should be outlawed totally,once a player is sold on,that should be the end of it.Too many clubs now want their cake and eat it.
12

blues1 added 14:56 - Jan 15
Some,fans on here are unbelievable. Well, I say fans. Suggesting if he doesn't hit the ground running immediately he'll get a hard time form fans
Just shows how crap some fans are. Some players take longer to adjust at a new,club, than others. Hopefully he will get straight into his stride. If he doesn't, so called fans getting on his back wouldn't help him. Grow up people.

26

Len_Brennan added 14:56 - Jan 15
Too late to play against Brighton tomorrow now?
5

runaround added 14:57 - Jan 15
McKenna is a smart cookie so for him to elaborate on this rather than just say “I don’t comment on other teams players “ must mean he’s convinced that this transfer is going to go through
8

Bert added 14:58 - Jan 15
kMcK has made it abundantly clear that Philogene wants to be an Ipswich player. No need therefore to question the player’s intentions as he is sitting at Milsom’s waiting for Villa, our club and his agent to get the deal done.
20

chepstowblue added 15:00 - Jan 15
This delay smacks of something being written into the contract along the lines of....."If Town get relegated this season, the lad is free to move on elsewhere" !!
5

mehrad added 15:01 - Jan 15
I do wonder how Villa is getting getting Malen (a player with Bundesliga credentials) for the same amount we are paying for Philogene (similar age, but unproven in the Premiership); probably wage differentials. Either way, I think it is fair to say that Town have been weak in overseas recruiting during McKenna's time (no one other than Cajuste comes to mind).
9

algy added 15:04 - Jan 15
Yes, player's representatives have to get the best deal for him just as the manager's representatives did for him last summer. Whether deals are best for the club are not their concern.
0

LimerickTractorBoy added 15:11 - Jan 15
Have to agree wholeheartedly with Blues1 above, fans saying he'll get a rough time if he doesn't hit the ground running?? None of us know what the delay is, it's only my opinion but I'd say he's as frustrated as the rest of us, he will be joining Town and if KMcK wants him this bad I think he will be fantastic for us.
10

itfc2024 added 15:11 - Jan 15
and still the saga continues I think his agent is messing us about i hope this philogene is worth the wait cos he need to be
-2

maninashed added 15:13 - Jan 15
I would imagine the salary here will be somewhat less than he is getting at Villa so the talks are about some sort of payoff from Villa, hence the transfer fee.
0

guentchev123 added 15:17 - Jan 15
Agree with blues1. Ridiculous talk of him needing to hit the ground running. He is a young player with enormous potential and he might possibly take a bit of a time to adjust / get used to our system, as most players do when they go to a new club. KMcK has to be careful what he says but his comments would suggest that Jaden is, and has been, very keen on coming to Portman Road. The fact that KMcK is commenting at all, means that the deal will get done, more than likely by the end of today.
11

gsoly added 15:23 - Jan 15
I don't read this as an agent issue at all. Clear that Villa are holding the strings here.
2

gainsboroughblue added 15:26 - Jan 15
If anything, Philogene needs to be supported and feel the love when he eventually gets here. Villa basically have just wanted to make a profit on him with no thought to his career path.
10

Mariner1974 added 15:31 - Jan 15
Hilarious how easy fans/ posters blame the player for his part in this, knowing nothing about what's gone on behind the scenes and what is involved within the football transfer. Business deals can go around the houses, and often never get done. This day and age where everyone has a megaphone for their own stresses and hangups is comical. Yes we all want to see the deal done, but I'm pretty sure the player would have loved a scenario where he could have been playing football non stop and continued his fine form for Hull from last season. Imagine it - your mates Liam and Jacob are joining a new club in the Premier League and you've got the chance to go play with them? Brilliant right? That's what he probably wanted all along, but the business of football has got in the way. Let's all take a breathe, and let things play out. & let's please stop all this putting extra pressure on the player, that he needs 'to hit the ground running, or it's gonna be an uncomfortable time for the lad'. Give the guy a chance, and maybe just maybe he wanted to sign for us all along. The fact that McKenna has to come out and make a statement like this, shows how he's trying to protect the player, and that the stupid outside noise from fans and media, is something that sadly he has to acknowledge. Hopefully he'll be a Town player soon enough!
16

DavefromWatford added 15:32 - Jan 15
GForce, you hit the nail on the head. I read a few days ago that the delay was caused by Villa wanting 25% sell on clause but we will only give them 10%.This may not be true so don`t quote me on it.
2

dangerous30 added 15:33 - Jan 15
Probably on a good salary at villa and we don’t want to match it and the possibility of relegation and the dropping of salary if we do go down are some of the points which could be holding it up. Glad he would like to come and play here and for me that’s the important part.
4


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls





About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2025