Talented young midfielder Morgan Rogers is in the form of his life right now, as highlighted by his stunning brace for Aston Villa vs Manchester United. Famously, though, he was at Manchester City as a youth prospect but was sold by Pep Guardiola in 2023.
The Englishman joined Middlesbrough, but didn't spend long in the Championship, scoring seven goals and claiming nine assists for his new team before Aston Villa had the sense to pick him up. The fee was reported to be £8m, potentially rising to £15m, with Man City entitled to 25 percent due to their sell-on fee.
Since then, though, the powers that be at the Etihad will be scratching their heads, wondering why they ever let the Villa star leave in the first place.
Guardiola Feels Rogers is an 'Exceptional Player'
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola applauds.
Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - Manchester City v Brentford - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 17, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Guardiola has actually gone on the record to explain the club's decision. Speaking in 2024, his quotes to the press look very interesting to reflect upon now. The Man City boss said:
"Do you know what happened with some players? It was a team that won the treble and the quadruple. Sometimes it’s the right tempo, the right time to give the chance. Of course, everyone knows how good Morgan is. A lot of players went on loan or have been sold.
"But he was in that age, that moment, we had the players that we had that allowed us to create the most successful years in the history of our club.
"In that moment, sometimes when they arrive they are two, three years younger and at that moment there is Kevin in his prime, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling and sometimes it’s difficult. That’s the only reason why."
He then praised Rogers, adding: "In the situation we are in right now, of course these kinds of players would be with us. This is obvious.
"I’m happy for him because he’s a lovely guy. He exploded last season and this season he’s a really, really top-class player. England have another exceptional player."
Rogers Admits He Wasn't 'Good Enough' For Man City
Morgan Rogers in action while playing for Manchester City's academy
City aren't the first team to let a brilliant player leave their ranks, having failed to spot the true potential of that individual. Arsenal had Harry Kane in their academy, while the likes of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne both couldn't impress at Chelsea before becoming Premier League legends elsewhere.
Interestingly enough, though, Rogers doesn't seem to be critical of Man City for letting him go. In fact, quite the opposite. The Englishman has revealed that he simply wasn't good enough to break into such a competitive team at the time, saying:
"I wasn’t good enough, simple as that. I wasn’t ready, I wasn't ready to be there, I wasn't myself, I wasn't the person that they signed in terms of what they expected me to go on and be. Yeah, it wasn't the right player at the right time for me or the club."
It's refreshing to see a player take responsibility in such a way and it's that sort of attitude which explains why he's been able to improve so much in such a short period of time.