Stoke City assistant manager makes glowing Jaden Philogene-Bidace reference, big Aston Villa future claim

Stoke City assistant manager Dean Holden has heaped the praise on Aston Villa youngster Jaden Philogene-Bidace ahead of the Championship restart this weekend claiming the winger ‘can go as far as he wants’ in the footballing world.

The 20-year-old linked up with the Potters on loan in January but after a really positive start to his life in Staffordshire, has since suffered an injury set-back which has seen him miss the last few games.

Speaking to our colleagues at ManchesterWorld ahead of the Manchester Remembers charity match, Holden says that they feel incredibly lucky to have the Villa man but has rued the timing of his niggly injuries at key parts of the season.

“He’s a brilliant and exciting player, I’d hate to play against him,” he said.

“It’s not quite gone according to plan for Jaden because he’s picked up a couple of injuries at the wrong time. But certainly in terms of what he brings to a pitch, you’d pay to go and watch him.

“He can go as far as he wants.

“He had a little adversity when he left Brentford as a 14/15-year-old when their academy folded. He had to find his own way in grassroots for a year or two, which is never a bad thing for a young player. Now he’s reaping the rewards.

“Stevie Gerrard speaks so highly of him and we’re lucky to have him. We just haven’t been able to get him for as much as we would have liked.”

Philogene-Bidace has scored one goal in nine appearances since his move to Stoke and will be looking to add to that tally as we enter the final stretch of the 21/22 campaign.

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