Aston Villa could have another Jack Grealish on their hands with inspired £15m summer swoop
Hyperbole and sensationalism, two ever-so-tempting tendencies that call to journalists like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin mask in Spider-Man: No Way Home; write the hysterical headlines, revel in the excitable clicks, take over the world, etc etc. But I want to make it very, very, very clear that this is not that. The claim at the top of the page may be a big one, but it is also entirely earnest: if Aston Villa do re-sign Jaden Philogene, they could indeed have another Jack Grealish on their hands.
As things stand, the situation is thus; Philogene started his career with Villa, rising through their academy system before amassing a smattering of appearances for the first team. Loan stints Stoke City and Cardiff City would follow, to varying degrees of success, before, quite unexpectedly, he was allowed to leave Villa Park on a permanent basis over the summer.
Ever since, he has been terrorising the Championship for Hull City, vaporising full-backs and scoring goals that often defy logic, reason, and the accepted etiquette of polite society. His recent wonder strike against Rotherham United, now officially awarded to him, will almost certainly be a contender for the Puskas Award – again, no hyperbole whatsoever.
That goal was one of eight that Philogene has scored in 20 outings this season, with a further six assists attached to his name too. He is increasingly proving himself to be one of the most individually gifted talents in the entirety of the Football League, and whether it is with promotion-chasing Hull or another club, he feels destined to return to the Premier League sooner rather than later.
Indeed, according to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race for his signature, with the 22-year-old closely fitting the profile of several of their other recent acquisitions – young, affordable, and brimming with promise. But to that end, Villa may also still have a say in his future. Speaking to supporters back in September, Hull vice-chairman Tan Kesler confirmed the existence of a £15 million buy-back clause in Philogene’s contract, but was quick to emphasise that it only applies if the Tigers are promoted to the Premier League.
Now, that could well happen. At the present moment in time, Liam Rosenior’s men are sixth in the table, and unbeaten in four. If they aren’t in the running for play-off place at the very least come the end of the campaign, something will have gone horribly wrong.
