Aston Villa are reportedly set to loan Lewis Dobbin to Norwich City for the rest of the season, while Jaden Philogene could depart temporarily this month too.
Dobbin, 21, spent the first half of the campaign on loan at West Bromwich Albion, but having had a limited role at the Hawthorns where he made 18 appearances and totalled 397 minutes of football, he was recalled this month with the view of finding a more suitable solution elsewhere.
As per BBC Sport’s Nick Mashiter, Dobbin is now set to join Norwich on loan for the remainder of the season, and so it’s a smart move from Villa which will hopefully result in the forward having a more prominent role with the Canaries.
It’s unclear at this stage if Dobbin will be able to force his way into Unai Emery’s long-term plans, but ultimately if he doesn’t, a successful loan spell would still be important for all concerned to see him land elsewhere as Villa look to maximise his value.
Meanwhile, The Athletic report that Ipswich Town are keen on Philogene, with the expectation that he departs on loan as well having struggled for opportunities at Villa so far this year and talks are said to be scheduled in the coming days to try and reach an agreement.
The 22-year-old was brought back to the club last summer as Emery evidently saw something he liked in him and believed he could be an important piece to add to his squad, but having made just 15 appearances this season to date, most of which have been late cameo outings off the bench, a loan move will arguably suit all concerned.
It would give Philogene the chance to play regularly and continue to develop his game, while for Villa, he will hopefully either return a much more polished and confident player who is ready to make an impact, or secure a permanent move elsewhere having increased his value.
What has been clear is that it’s a difficult spot for him to be in with us, as he’s lacked confidence and belief in his play due to the lack of consistency in his playing time, which in turn has led to a limited contribution, and less openings to feature.
Ultimately though, the club has to consider this element of our strategy given our ongoing PSR concerns, and so balancing our spending with exits is imperative, and these two loan exits coupled with other touted departures this month, will hopefully create space, both physical and financial, for Villa and Emery to continue to strengthen and become more competitive in the upcoming transfer windows.
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