Ipswich Town have now agreed on a big deal to complete another January signing with Kieran McKenna proving to be key.
Ipswich Town and McKenna want January signings done early
The Tractor Boys boss admitted at the beginning of the year that the club are looking to get their transfer business done early at Portman Road. McKenna said:
“Discussions started a long time ago, but getting players in at the start of January is another matter. Each club has their own needs. Things can change really, really quickly at the end of December. Games come thick and fast – players come into the team, come out of the team. Players who you thought might be available are unavailable. Players who you thought were unavailable might become available.
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“We are going to try to do our business early in the window if possible. We know that would be a big advantage, but we also know we need to be ready right through the month to improve the squad when the opportunities come.
“Certainly by the end of January we need to make sure that the squad is of the appropriate size and we want everyone who is still in the building to have a chance of playing and contributing in the Premier League games.”
Ipswich chiefs managed to do just that, with centre-back Ben Godfrey becoming the first addition of 2025, signing on loan from Atalanta.
Now, attention is turning to signings at the other end of the pitch. Ipswich have had a £16m bid rejected for Liverpool’s Ben Doak, have held talks to sign Wolfsburg forward Patrick Wimmer and have been linked with a £30m move for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus. However, it looks as if Ipswich will get their attacking arrival in Aston Villa’s Jaden Philogene.
Ipswich Town agree £21m deal to sign Philogene from Aston Villa
As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Ipswich Town have agreed a deal with Aston Villa to sign Philogene worth £21m with add-ons.
As can be seen, a phone call with McKenna was crucial to a transfer, with the Tractor Boys pipping Everton to a deal and a medical set to take place on the morning of January 9.
Philogene is still just 22 years of age and can play on either wing, so will provide a versatile option for McKenna going forward alongside the likes of Jack Clarke, Wes Burns, Omari Hutchinson, Nathan Broadhead and Chiedozie Ogbene, who is currently sidelined through injury.
Valued at a career-high €15m by Transfermarkt, Philogene has made 11 Premier League appearances this season but is yet to register a goal or assist, something Ipswich will be hoping can change at Portman Road during the second half of the campaign.