Middlesbrough FC must forget Louie Barry and move for a different Aston Villa player

Middlesbrough is one of several Championship clubs said to be interested in signing highly-rated Aston Villa forward Louie Barry after his successful loan spell with Stockport County, but they might be better served by looking for another young, promising, and out-of-favour attacker in the Second City’s claret quarters: Jaden Philogene.

The January transfer window will be critical for Michael Carrick, who must focus on asset retention despite interest in the likes of Emmanuel Latte Lath and Liverpool loan sensation Ben Doak, as well as fine-tune his squad to make it capable of delivering promotion in May.

Middlesbrough are currently fifth in the Championship standings, but have only a two-point lead over Blackburn Rovers in seventh and the rest of the play-off chasing pack, small margins that could be easily reversed and broken down as the season progresses.

They’ve won just one of their previous five Championship games, the most recent being a depressing 1-1 home tie with relegation rivals Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon, highlighting the significance of bringing in reinforcements.

One such signing may be Barry, who has been linked with Middlesbrough and a number of other Championship clubs. However, while Barry is a terrific player with a promising career ahead of him and plenty of justification for the frenzy of interest in his services, another young attacker on the Villa Park periphery, Philogene, should possibly be prioritised.

Aston Villa, Unai Emery’s transfer stance on Louie Barry and Jaden Philogene

Barry is set to leave the West Midlands this month after being recalled from a remarkable loan spell with third-tier promotion contenders Stockport County, where he scored 15 goals in only 23 league outings.

According to reports, Barry has been linked with Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Sheffield United, Burnley, Leeds United, and Derby County. Villa manager Unai Emery is currently deciding on Barry’s immediate future, which could be temporary or permanent.

Emery recently stated of Barry, “He is really performing very well, last year and this year.”

“He did pre-season [with Villa], and we want to re-introduce him here and make another decision with him. But he has potential.

“We’re happy with him. If he can help us, he will. But, if his evolution is best served by going on loan and playing more and more to gain minutes and confidence, playing at a higher level than he has previously played, that is the idea for him.”

When asked if Barry will go on loan rather than permanently, the Spaniard replied: “This is the next step for us in the coming weeks.” But he returned with us, and he had a little injury.

“We will make another decision with him, but his potential is being realised and he is doing admirably for the club and himself as a player. “And then we will make a decision.”

Barry, of course, isn’t the only talented and highly regarded forward who appears to be leaving the UEFA Champions League squad this month.

Philogene, 22, has struggled to find his footing after returning to Villa after a season at Hull City. He scored 12 goals and six assists in 32 second-tier appearances, prompting the Villains to resign him less than a year after his reported £5 million departure to the MKM Stadium.

Villa agreed to a number of stipulations with Hull, including a’matching rights’ option that allowed them to match any agreed-upon amount from another club within three days.

Villa matched Ipswich Town’s bid of £18 million, and Philogene, a graduate of the club’s junior system, accepted the sale for £13 million due to a 30% sell-on option.

Expectations for the winger’s potential first-team influence were high following a superb season refining his trade at Championship level, but Philogene has yet to make his way into Emery’s plans.

The England-U21 international has only started twice in the Premier League this season, raising the possibility of a loan exit in January. Ipswich and other clubs are reportedly interested.

Emery discussed Philogene’s future with reporters, stating that he had talent but did not demonstrate it in his first six months with the team due to various reasons.

“He played big games against Bayern Munich and Manchester United. At that point, he had the opportunity to demonstrate his development. He didn’t do it clearly, and due to the circumstances, he played less, but I believe in his potential.

“It is one option for him and the club [a loan], because many clubs are interested in him. They believe in his potential. We are not close [to agreeing on a loan], and as a coach, I do not want to let him go, but we are discussing the various options. Perhaps it could be a possibility [loan].

“He will be unavailable tomorrow due to an injury. My discourse was usually about being patient and taking time to fix things. The adaptation is taking longer than we had hoped, but the goal remains to improve and help us here. Now that it’s January, he and the squad may decide to let him go.”

Villa has agreed to loan out Philogene, according to reporter Fabrizio Romano. Talks are still continuing. that Villa have now agreed to loan out Philogene, with talks already underway on that front.

Middlesbrough should sign Jaden Philogene over Louie Barry amid Aston Villa, Unai Emery transfer stance

Signing Barry or Philogene at Championship level would boost Middlesbrough’s promotion chances significantly. However, if Boro expresses any tangible interest in the latter, it will most likely be a case of either or, and that is exactly who they should be focussing their efforts on if such an occasion occurs.

Middlesbrough are one of the Championship’s most dynamic, threatening, and productive attacking sides, with 43 goals (an average of 1.7 per match and the second-highest in the league after title favourites Leeds), 60 chance creation returns, and an xG worth 41.0 (FotMob).

That is aided by the likes of Latte Lath, Doak, and centre creative powerhouse Finn Azaz, whose record of eight goals and nine assists in 25 games is quite impressive.That’s helped by the likes of Latte Lath, Doak and central creative kingpin Finn Azaz, whose record of eight goals and nine assists from 25 appearances makes for rather remarkable reading.

Delano Burgzorg, the only regular starter to have contributed to fewer than eight league goals, slightly limits the usefulness and output of Carrick’s front four. Indeed, the striker, who has played wide-left throughout the season, has only two goals and an assist in 23 games, indicating a weakness in an otherwise formidable Boro frontline.

That left-wing position needs to be addressed with a statement signed by no one other than Philogene. At his peak, the 22-year-old is an absolute cheat code at Championship level.

That left-wing position does need addressing with a statement signing, which could – and really should – be no other than Philogene. At his best, the 22-year-old is a complete cheat code at Championship level.

Philogene has the raw natural ability, combined with a near-unshakeable sense of confidence, swagger, and self-belief, to beat any second-tier fullback on the inside, outside, or wherever he wants, at any moment. He’s very direct in position and has the real pace to blitz and burn past his opposite number in transition, but he’s perhaps most effective when he can evade challenges in tight spaces thanks to his excellent close control – providing a welcome and balanced stylistic contrast to speed demon Doak on the other side.

When done effectively, his display of intrinsic talent and flare is truly unearthly, as both Cardiff and, more specifically, Hull fans were fortunate enough to see.

He would bring X-Factor to a Boro attack that can struggle to unlock tight, low-block defences – but he’s also a match-winner with a refined end product from that invaluable and memorable campaign in East Yorkshire, where the implementation of a consistent final ball saw him transition into the Championship heavyweight he showed signs of becoming at Cardiff City Stadium the previous season.

Philogene’s two-and-a-half years of Championship experience, supplemented by Champions League experience at Villa, make him a safer and even more exciting bet to offer a spinball in the promotion race, as he already knows exactly what it takes to hit the ground running.

A player of Philogene’s calibre should be beyond of reach for any Championship club, but he’s at a crossroads, and Villa will be looking for the best club to help him maximise his potential in the long run. From their standpoint, there may not be many more tempting mid-season destinations.

Middlesbrough’s 2022/23 play-off success was aided by mid-season loan signings Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer, who excelled in their first full season under Carrick. They later returned to Birmingham, as Villa benefited from the seasons they spent on Teesside.

It’s easy to highlight prior loan triumphs, but a more underappreciated but obviously crucial component is how swiftly Middlesbrough developed current Villains star Morgan Rogers.

Rogers, a real wonderkid at youth level, had mixed loan experiences with Bournemouth and Blackpool, with whom he was demoted from the Championship in 2023, before joining Middlesbrough permanently from Manchester City.

Villa agreed to sign the ex-West Bromwich Albion junior star for an initial cost of £8 million, which could increase to £16 million with performance-related add-ons.

The total price, you would think, would have to be at least quintupled in value for Villa to consider selling Rogers, who has evolved into an ever-present under Emery and an England international to boot.The entirety of that fee, you would think, would have to quintuple in value – at least – for Villa to consider a sale now for Rogers, who has blossomed into an ever-present under Emery and an England international for good measure.

Middlesbrough’s development of Philogene could benefit Villa’s decision to work with him, since he has a strong portfolio to present. Signing Philogene would boost Villa’s promotion chances, while Barry’s signing might also impact the second-tier promotion race.particular Villa agreement could shake up the complexion of the second-tier promotion battle.

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