'Everything is true' - Hull owner offers update on Barcelona's shock interest in winger Jaden Philogene

The 22-year-old has been linked with a stunning move to European giants Barcelona this summer, with West Ham and Everton also said to be keen on the winger. Now, club owner Ilicali has admitted he would never stand in the way of anyone who wants to leave the Championship side.

When asked if Barca were really keen on Philogene, Ilicali told talkSPORT: "Yes, everything is true. But I told my fans that I would sign nobody. My idea in football is not to make money, my idea is to make a stronger and bigger club. But to make a bigger club, sometimes if a player says, 'I want to go', that is a different case.

"For me, one player change is not the end of the world. But my players, I would never want to rein in their careers or their moves because of a contract I have.

"So in that case, if Jaden wants to move and he says he wants to go somewhere, this is something we cannot do too much about because this is his life. I love all my boys, I am responsible for their careers. So they don't need to play with us if they don't want to play with us."

If the former Aston Villa man, who signed for Hull last summer, did move to Barca - that would be quite the story for the England Under-21 international. He scored 12 goals and bagged six assists in an impressive campaign in 2023/24 but few would have predicted that would have attracted the interest of Barcelona.

Philogene, who has had loan spells at Stoke City and Cardiff City, is out of contract at Hull in the summer of 2026. The London-born player returns to Hull pre-season training this week but it remains to be seen if he will be with the club for the new season.