Wolves Enter £45m Race for Former Aston Villa Winger Jaden Philogene
Wolverhampton Wanderers are believed to be among the contenders to sign a former Aston Villa winger, with reports indicating a major summer move is in the works for a player attracting widespread Premier League interest. The Old Gold, currently facing a difficult battle to avoid relegation to the Championship, have started planning for next season, with their fate all but sealed this term.
Wolves' Relegation Battle and Summer Planning
Wolves have been rock-bottom of the Premier League table since August and are 18 points away from safety with only 12 matches remaining. Their first of these fixtures takes place on Wednesday night as leaders Arsenal visit Molineux, with forecasts of snow in the West Midlands potentially making for an intriguing encounter. Behind the scenes, the club is already looking ahead, with January signings like the Deadline Day arrival of Adam Armstrong from Southampton thought to be with life in the Championship in mind.
Interest in Ipswich Town Ace Jaden Philogene
According to reports by journalist Ekrem Konur for Sportsboom, Wolves are one of five Premier League clubs interested in Ipswich Town winger Jaden Philogene. The 24-year-old, who came through the ranks at Wolves' West Midlands rivals Aston Villa, re-signed from Hull City in summer 2024 before departing for Ipswich for a reported £20m the following January. This season, Philogene has bagged 10 goals in 25 games, earning him the nickname 'goal machine' and attracting significant interest from top-flight suitors.
Competition and Price Tag for Philogene
Ipswich Town have reportedly slapped a price tag of £40m to £45m on their prize asset, viewing him as a 'golden egg' who could 'finance the club's entire future'. Wolves are not alone in their pursuit; Everton, West Ham United, and Crystal Palace are all firmly believed to be in the race, while Tottenham Hotspur are also 'monitoring the situation closely'. Should Ipswich gain promotion to the Premier League in May, they may decide to keep Philogene for another season in hopes his value rises towards £60m.
Potential Record Signing for Wolves
A £45m move for Philogene would eclipse Wolves' current record signing of £44m spent on Matheus Cunha in 2023. Cunha proved to be money well spent, scoring 33 goals in 92 matches before earning the club nearly £20m in profit when he departed for Manchester United last summer. However, signing Philogene at such a price would be a risky move if Wolves are competing in the Championship next term, making this potential transfer one to watch closely as the prospect of the ex-Villa starlet returning to the West Midlands emerges.
