Troy Deeney issues ‘entitled’ Morgan Rogers verdictplaceholder image
Troy Deeney issues ‘entitled’ Morgan Rogers verdict | Getty Images/ Canva
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers scored a brace in the team’s 2-1 victory over Leeds United
Former Birmingham City and Watford forward Troy Deeney has taken aim at Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers for showing what he believed was an ‘entitled’ attitude towards the start of the season, after the midfielder failed to secure a move to Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Rogers was one of a number of top Aston Villa players linked with a move away from Villa Park during the summer window amid concerns about the club’s Profit and Sustainability situation.
In the end, Villa opted to cash in on academy graduate Jacob Ramsey, with long-term admirers Newcastle United signing the 24-year-old for a figure of around £40m. The likes of Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Alex Moreno also departed - and while most of the transfer speculation was centred around Emiliano Martinez, it’s also reported that Rogers was under consideration from a number of top clubs.
Troy Deeney criticises Morgan Rogers as he shares England verdict
Rogers was the subject of strong interest from both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur after winning the PFA Young Player of the Season award last term. Chelsea eventually went out and signed Joao Pedro and Facundo Buonanotte to add depth in midfield while Spurs, after missing out on Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, signed Xavi Simons insread.
Aston Villa reportedly set a price tag of around £80m to try and fend off interest from other clubs, but initially at the start of the season saw a real drop off in Rogers performance levels.
The England international scored twice against Leeds United in yet another vital victory for Unai Emery’s men and was included in Deeney’s Team of the Week with BBC Sport, but that didn’t stop the former Watford captain taking a swipe at Rogers’ early season.
He said: “Maybe this is the only thing that I agree with Thomas Tuchel on - he has got to a point now where it's going to be very difficult to drop Morgan Rogers.
“I didn't think he had a great start to the season, I think he was a little bit entitled and thought he maybe could have got a move to Chelsea, and probably wanted that, but he seems to have settled down. Two great goals obviously against Leeds dragged his team from behind. He was the difference maker.”
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Rogers has featured heavily in qualifying in recent weeks and is clearly a player that Thomas Tuchel admires a lot. At present, Rogers is on three goals and two assists from 12 league appearances, which have all come in the last six matchweeks amid a dramatic turn in fortunes for both Villa and the midfielder.
He faces strong competition for a place from Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, whose relationship with Tuchel has been the subject of attention from the media, along with Manchester City star Phil Foden and the currently injured Cole Palmer of Chelsea.
Arsenal’s Eze, who has mainly played out wide for England, also made a real case to play through the middle at the weekend after netting a hat-trick in the north London derby against Tottenham.
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