Chelsea are considering launching a move for Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers next year after their pursuit of Xavi Simons collapsed this summer, according to CaughtOffside.
The Stamford Bridge side had a busy transfer window, signing a host of attacking reinforcements including Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, and are showing no signs of slowing down when the market reopens in 2026.
Chelsea are said to have made an attacking midfielder a priority in the coming year after missing out on a deal for Simons, who joined Tottenham from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £52m.
As a result, Chelsea have now shifted their focus onto finding an alternative, with Rogers earmarked as one of their top targets for January or next summer.
The England international has been on the Blues’ radar for the past several months, having impressed for both club and country and established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in the country.
Chelsea Keen on Morgan Rogers
Morgan Rogers applauding the Aston Villa supporters
According to CaughtOffside, despite splashing out over £280m on new signings during the summer window, Chelsea have set funds aside for a new attacking midfielder, with Rogers seen as one of the top options.
Lyon’s Malick Fofana and Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz are also viewed as players of interest if a deal for the England international proves too expensive or complicated to complete.
Villa are said to be keen to hold on to Rogers for as long as possible, and are in a strong negotiating position if any clubs come calling, with the 23-year-old under contract until June 2030.
Rogers, praised as ‘unplayable’, joined Villa from Middlesbrough in January 2024 and has been an important piece of Unai Emery’s squad ever since, amassing 73 appearances to date, registering 17 goals and 17 assists.
The 23-year-old was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year earlier this year, having enjoyed a strong first full season at Villa Park, recording 19 goal contributions in 37 Premier League appearances.
Chelsea remain unbeaten in the Premier League after three games, having collected seven points from nine available.
The Club World Cup winners resume their campaign with a visit to Brentford on Saturday and face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.