Morgan Rogers is on the verge of joining Chelsea in a £117million deal.
11:41, Tue, Jul 21, 2026 Updated: 11:41, Tue, Jul 21, 2026
Morgan Rogers will have to compromise immediately after joining Chelsea
Morgan Rogers will have to compromise immediately after joining Chelsea (Image: Getty)
Morgan Rogers won't have everything his own way upon joining Chelsea, with the move set to be confirmed imminently. The forward is expected to complete a £117million move to Stamford Bridge after undergoing a medical on Monday. A deal was agreed at club level during the World Cup and Rogers travelled to London to complete the formalities of his switch upon returning from the USA.
He is poised to sign a six-year contract at Chelsea, keeping him there until the summer of 2032. The move will see Rogers become the most expensive British player in history, surpassing Elliot Anderson, but he will be forced to compromise immediately upon joining the Blues. That's because he will need to pick a different shirt number, with the No 27 he wore at Villa already occupied by Malo Gusto.
Football transfer news and rumours plus selected offers and competitions Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
There are plenty of options available for Rogers to choose from, including the No 16 last worn at Chelsea by Lesley Ugochukwu. He could also decide to wear No 17 or No 18, which are both vacant.
Alternatively, he could pick the next closest option to his preferred No 27 by going for No 26, which has been available since Levi Colwill changed his shirt number at the start of last season.
Regardless of the number on his back, Rogers will be under huge pressure to deliver at Chelsea given the size of his transfer fee and his reputation as one of the Premier League's finest forwards.
He will become the second most expensive player in the history of England's top flight behind only Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle for £125m last summer.
Rogers will be forced to choose a new shirt number at Stamford Bridge
Rogers will be forced to choose a new shirt number at Stamford Bridge (Image: Getty)
Arsenal initially looked to be in pole position to sign Rogers, who scored 14 goals for Villa in all competitions last season.
However, the north Londoners were beaten to his signature by Chelsea, who emerged from nowhere to strike a deal over the weekend.
It is a real statement of intent from the Blues as they embark on a new era under head coach Xabi Alonso, who was said to have been a deciding factor in convincing Rogers to join.
He is likely to play on the left wing for Chelsea, with Cole Palmer being deployed through the middle. Middlesbrough, his former club, will receive around £20m from the transfer due to their sell-on clause.