Aston Villa dealt blow in race to RE-SIGN Chukwuemeka 2.0

Cameron Smith

24 Mar 2024 15:20 GMT
4 min read

Carney Chukwuemeka, Aston Villa, Chelsea, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has issued a defiant response amid reports that Aston Villa may attempt to re-sign Jaden Philogene this summer.

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Philogene, 22, left Villa to join Hull on a permanent deal in 2023 after pushing for a move away in order to secure regular first-team football.

The England U21 international has suffered injury problems this campaign, but he has amassed 14 goal contributions in just 23 games for Hull, helping fire the Tigers towards the play-offs.

This summer, Aston Villa have first refusal on Philogene if they wish to re-sign him and they are reportedly able to buy him for just €17.4 million (£15m) if Hull are promoted to the Premier League. Despite this, Ilicali is confident that Philogene is going nowhere.

He told The Mirror: “We don't have any fear about Philogene getting bought back by Aston Villa. The buy-back option is only available if we get promoted.

“If Jaden wants to play with us and he doesn't want to go to Villa, with the good relationship with the club we will ask for their permission to keep him.

“I believe that every player should be where they are happy. If Jaden's decision is to stay with Hull City if we go to the Premier League, then I'm confident Aston Villa will not make us disappointed.”

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Aston Villa should never have sold Jaden Philogene

Villa’s decision to sell Philogene was an acceptable one at the time given the summer arrival of Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen, however their former academy star has been electric so far this season.

He is one of the Championship’s most dangerous players and he looks destined to be playing Premier League football next season.

Philogene is a tricky winger with brilliant close control and he is now a regular in England’s U21 set-up alongside the likes of Harvey Elliott and Noni Madueke.

Unai Emery’s side purchased Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough during the January transfer window and this may impact their ability to re-sign Philogene, although the England U21 star is more of a central player than a winger.

Villa’s academy has produced several top quality players in recent years, but they haven’t quite utilised it to its maximum potential yet. Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer were both sold last summer, the same as Philogene, while Carney Chukwuemeka departed for Chelsea in 2022 after failing to see a first-team pathway mapped out.

Even if Villa re-sign Philogene, they will have to pay for their error of selling him to Hull and it’s a mistake they can’t afford to make in the future as they look to consolidate their place as a European club.