‘He’ll get fans off their seats’: Tigers sign Philogene & three more on deadline day
‘POTENTIAL TO PLAY AT THE AT THE VERY TOP LEVEL’: New Hull City signing Jaden Philogene. Pictures by Hull City
By Simon Bristow
Hull City have given their promotion hopes a major boost with the deadline day signing of Jaden Philogene from Premier League Aston Villa – plus three other players.
The 21-year-old Philogene, an exciting winger, penned a three-year deal with a club option of a further year on a night of frenzied activity in the transfer market for the ambitious Tigers.
He was joined by three other impressive captures:
Left-back James Furlong, 21, from Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion (three-year deal with club option of a further year);
Midfielder Tyler Morton, 20, from Premier League giants Liverpool (season-long loan);
Winger Bora Aydınlık, 18, from Turkish Süper Lig giants Fenerbahçe (season-long loan).
The deadline day signings mean head coach Liam Rosenior has now added an amazing ten players to his squad over the summer transfer window – a big statement of faith in the young manager by owner and chairman Acun Ilıcalı.
Fans will be relishing the prospect of seeing Philogene in action, which could come as soon as today with the trip to Championship leaders Leicester City.
Rosenior said of Philogene: “I’m really excited that Jaden has joined us and grateful to Acun and Tan [Kessler, vice-chairman] for backing me.
“Jaden’s got so much potential and completely fits into the way we play. He’s got obvious natural ability, can go one for one and is someone who can get fans off their seats.
“He had a productive loan at Stoke, was Young Player of the Year at Cardiff and did well with Aston Villa’s first team in pre-season.
“What’s exciting for us is he hasn’t scratched the surface of his potential yet. He’s someone with a lot to learn and improve on and I’m delighted he’s going to do it here at this club.
“Potentially, we’ve got a player who can play at the very top level. Jaden is ambitious to get there and he’s chosen us to help him on his journey.
“Hopefully, he can help us move forward and we will do our best to help him in his career, which we hope will be in the Premier League with us.”
Philogene, who signed for an undisclosed fee, is described as “a direct dribbler and tenacious tackler with fleet-footed trickery and invention”. The “unpredictable” right-footer plays predominantly on the left but is equally effective on the opposite flank.
Spending the last season and a half on loan in the Championship, the dynamic wide player showed glimpses of his potential at Stoke City before flourishing with Cardiff City in 2022/23.
The Hammersmith-born attacker produced five goals and one assist in 39 appearances for the Bluebirds and won a league-high four penalties, earning their Young Player of the Season award.
Philogene impressed for Villa during pre-season and started all three friendlies of their summer tour of the United States, netting in a 2-0 warm-up win against Fulham.
The England youth international made six senior appearances for the club he joined as a 15-year-old from the Pro:Direct Academy in January 2018 – three of them in the Premier League.
The highly-rated Morton, who recently signed a long-term contract with the Reds, has made nine appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
The holding midfielder played 46 times for Blackburn Rovers in his first loan spell away from Anfield last season, starting 30 Championship matches and providing four assists.
‘FLEET-FOOTED TRICKERY’: Jaden Philogene
The three-time England Under-20 international helped Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men finish seventh, missing out on the play-offs only on goal difference, and reach the FA Cup Quarter-Finals.
Joining Liverpool’s academy aged seven, Wallasey-born Morton has featured in every age group for the Merseyside club and was part of their 2021/22 EFL Cup and FA Cup-winning squads.
The youngster started one Premier League match and two Champions League games that season, including a 2-1 victory over Italian giants AC Milan at the San Siro.
Rosenior said: “For us to capture a player of Tyler’s pedigree and potential, again fighting off a lot of competition, I’m absolutely over the moon.
“He played at a high level last season in a team in Blackburn that just missed out on the play-offs. He’s played in the Champions League, Premier League and in cup games for a top club in Liverpool.
“The fact Liverpool and Tyler believe Hull City is the best place for him to continue his development says a lot about the direction we’re moving in as a football club.
“Tyler has everything I like in a midfield player. He’s brave and has got unbelievable technical quality, which is important for the way we play. He can see a pass, has a great football brain, understands the game with his defensive positioning and is aggressive.
“He was our first choice and we’ve had to wait a long time to get it done but I’m delighted it’s finally happened.”
Dublin-born Furlong, who signed for an undisclosed fee, made his only senior Seagulls outing in a Carabao Cup victory at Forest Green Rovers in August 2022, and featured eight times for Albion’s Under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
He gained first-team experience on loan at Scottish Premiership side Motherwell in the second half of last season, making 15 starts and one substitute appearance.
The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international moved to East Sussex in July 2019 from League of Ireland outfit Shamrock Rovers, where he made his senior debut at the age of 16.
Rosenior said: “He’s got a fantastic left foot, a great engine, enjoys defending and has natural quality in getting forward.
“We’re starting to gain a reputation as a club that want to develop young players, improve them and give them a chance. James knows if he achieves the levels we believe he can get to, he’s got a really good chance of breaking into our first team.”
Aydınlık was born in Miami Beach, Florida, and moved to Türkiye at a young age before joining Fenerbahçe in 2015.
Starting out as a left-back, he moved further up the pitch and has become a versatile forward that has played as a left winger, attacking midfielder and a striker.
Playing at various youth levels for Fenerbahçe, he was named on the substitutes’ bench in the UEFA Europa Conference league fixture against Slavia Prague in February 2022, a month prior to receiving an invitation to represent the United States men’s national team.
Eligible to represent USA or Türkiye at international level, the winger has been called up to the latter’s Under-15 and Under-16 sides before earning his first two caps at Under-19s level in September 2022.
Coming on in the 78th-minute of a 4-4 draw against Luxembourg in the UEFA Euro U19 Championship qualifiers, he made his second substitute appearance three days later in a 5-1 victory over Azerbaijan.
In March this year, Aydınlık scored a screamer for Fenerbahçe’s first team in a 2-2 friendly draw against Russian Premier League side Zenit St Petersburg.