Morgan Rogers: Premier League clubs renew interest in Aston Villa star

Morgan Rogers looks likely to be at the centre of a transfer tug of war this summer after Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea renewed their interest in him.

The Aston Villa attacking midfielder has provided 24 goals and 23 assists since the start of last season and his reputation and valuation will be enhanced if he impresses for England at the World Cup this summer.

Villa fought hard to keep him last summer after interest from Chelsea and Arsenal before extending his contract until 2031 without including a release clause. Villa’s valuation, likely to exceed £80million, is based on needing to pay 20 per cent of the profit from the sale to Middlesbrough. The Sky Bet Championship club sold him for up to £15million in February 2024.

Potentially selling Rogers, 23, is likely to be the most straightforward way to alleviate some of Villa’s financial pressures and prevent potential rule breaches.

Villa posted losses of £120.3million in the 2022-23 season and £85.9million in 2023-24 before a £17million profit for last season, only because of the one-off sale of the women’s team and the Warehouse — a live entertainment and fan venue adjacent to Villa Park. A Uefa report excluded the sales and published the club’s losses at £85million.

Although Rogers prefers to play on the left flank, he is comfortable in several attacking positions, which makes him an attractive target for elite clubs. He is open to leaving, and United and Arsenal want to strengthen on the left flank this summer. Central midfield is also an area United are looking to strengthen.

Rogers was signed by Michael Carrick for Middlesbrough in 2023 and Jason Wilcox, the United director of football, when he was Manchester City academy director in 2019.

For contractual reasons, Arsenal could sell either Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, both of whom have underperformed of late.

Trossard, 31, has a year left on his contract and has struggled to make an impact in the second part of the season. Arsenal have an option to extend Martinelli’s contract by one season to 2028 but may offer the 24-year-old a new, longer deal this summer if he is willing to be a squad player. They have also tracked Anthony Gordon, possibly in the belief that Newcastle United will also have to sell players this summer. He has 17 goals and five assists this season.

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