It’s been just over a month since the transfer window slammed shut, and in a bid to stave off relegation, Ipswich Town were one of the busier clubs in the Premier League.
Kieran McKenna’s side signed Ben Godfrey and Julio Enciso on loan, while Alex Palmer and Jaden Philogene put pen to paper on permanent deals.
The latter cost the Tractor Boys around £20m from Aston Villa, and while it is probably too early to say with any absolute certainty whether he’ll be a hit, he has been relativley impressive.
That said, one of the club’s former loan flops, who left in 2022, could be described as an even bigger talent, and so far this season, he’s managed to outscore the incredible Liam Delap.
Why Ipswich signed Philogene
So, when it came to reinforcing the squad in the winter market, why did Ipswich turn their attention to Philogene of all players?
Well, there are likely two key, intertwined reasons, with the first being that he looked like a real talent when he played regular football last season.
For example, in 32 appearances for Hull City, totalling 2811 minutes, the 23-year-old ace scored 12 goals – one of which was nominated for the Puskas award – and provided six assists.
That means the former Villa gem averaged a goal involvement every 1.77 games, or every 156.16 minutes, and so far this year, he’s scored three goals in seven appearances.
The second reason the Suffolk side were willing to splash the cash on him is that, at just 23 years old, there is still plenty of time for the winger to improve and if the club are to be relegated this year, they have a very sellable asset or someone to build around in the second tier.
In all, Philogene looks like he was a great purchase for Ipswich and a special talent who could develop into something special, but a former loan flop who left Portman Road in 2022 might be an even bigger talent.
The Ipswich loan flop who could be a bigger talent than Philogene
Ipswich have had their fair share of loan flops, who have then gone on to prove their worth elsewhere, from Chris Wood to Andros Townsend.
It looks like Louie Barry will be another such case, as when he left the club in January 2022, just five months after joining, he did so with a dismal tally of no goals or assists in six first-team appearances.
A few more lacklustre loan spells followed until the talented forward – who was a Barcelona youth player for a time – joined Stockport County on loan for the 23/24 season, where he racked up an impressive haul of nine goals and four assists in 22 games in a campaign cut short by injury.
The Englishman returned to the now League One outfit on loan this season, and to say he exceeded expectations would be a colossal understatement.
In just 24 appearances, totalling 1812 minutes, the “incredible” talent, as dubbed by England international Declan Rice, scored 16 goals and provided three assists.
Season
23/24
24/25
Appearances
22
24
Minutes
1359′
1812′
Goals
9
16
Assists
1
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.45
0.76
Minutes per Goal Involvement
135.9′
95.36′
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.26 games, or every 95.36 minutes, and means he’s been more productive than Philogene and outscored Delap, who has ten goals and two assists in 30 games this year.
Such a sensational level of output saw Villa recall the 21-year-old and send him on loan to Hull for the rest of the season, but a serious knee injury late last month saw him return to Villa Park after just four appearances and could see him sit out the rest of the campaign.
Ultimately, Ipswich appear to have a potential star on their hands in Philogene, but from how unstoppable he was for Stockport and Villa’s decision to keep and not sell him, an argument could be made that Barry is an even bigger talent.
Forget Tuanzebe: McKenna can axe Godfrey by unleashing Ipswich "warrior"
Kieran McKenna will hope this Ipswich Town star can replace Axel Tuanzebe effectively.
ByKelan SarsonMar 8, 2025