Joe Thomas believes Aston Villa’s Jaden Philogene could yet complete a permanent move to Everton this month if the right amount is offered.
According to Fabrizio Romano (7 January), the Blues have opened negotiations with Aston Villa to seek out the conditions to sign Philogene in January after he rejected a move to Goodison Park in the summer.
However, while Unai Emery would prefer a loan deal, Thomas shared his verdict on the developments for the Liverpool Echo transfer blog [7 January, 10:57am] and feels Everton could tempt Villa into a permanent sale.
He wrote: “The sense at Villa right now is that while they are fielding loan queries for him and would like to keep hold of him because they know he might flourish elsewhere, there is also an acknowledgement he probably won’t get the opportunities he needs to really grow while at the club.
“That essentially leaves the door open to Everton if they can stump up a big enough offer to make Villa deem the risk of watching him do well somewhere else worthwhile. What we do know is that Villa and Everton have a good relationship with the clubs having worked together amid their PSR concerns in June.
“Tim Iroegbunam signed for Everton from Villa in the summer while Lewis Dobbin and Amadou Onana ended up going the other way, so there is a positive and practical relationship there.”
Everton could sign Jaden Philogene from Aston Villa
While Evertonians suffered disappointment the last time the Toffees pursued Philogene, his return to Aston Villa has not panned out as hoped.
The 22-year-old was a force to be reckoned with in the Championship last year – Hull City boss Liam Rosenior described his ability as “ridiculous” during his 18-goal contribution season at the MKM Stadium [Hull City, February 2024].
He has since been restricted to only 11 Premier League outings at Villa Park, mostly coming off the bench and has been absent from three of the last five matchday squads.
Therefore, it makes sense for all parties to broker a deal this month despite Villa’s reservations – the forward clearly has no future in the West Midlands.
A permanent deal would also suit Everton’s needs, as Jack Harrison and Armando Broja occupy the two allocated domestic loan spots, and one would need to return to their parent club, should a loan be the only viable option.
However, as mentioned, the relationship between the sides remains strong after they helped each other navigate the PSR deadline over the summer, and the Blues could wrap up the signing swiftly.
The Toffees lack creativity, and Philogene has it in abundance – if The Friedkin Group are serious about their intentions at Goodison Park, then this signing is an absolute no-brainer.
