Arsenal are on the hunt for new attacking options after missing out on top target Morgan Rogers to Chelsea
Eyebrows were raised in unison across the footballing world last weekend, when news broke that Chelsea had swooped in to agree a mega £117m deal to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. The transfer bombshell will have been a particularly bitter pill to swallow for Arsenal, who were believed to have made the England star their top summer transfer target.
The Athletic report that Arsenal were only willing to pay as much as £80m for Rogers, which allowed the Blues to swoop in and snatch him from the Villans - much like they did with Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk when the Gunners tried to sign him back in 2023. Arsenal were said to have been contacted by Villa to see if they wished to match the bid, but they rebuffed the opportunity to do so.
Having stuck to their guns, the pressure is now on Arsenal to secure a suitable alternative, and there’s certainly no shortage of top quality attacking options on the market. The competition to sign them will remain fierce, however, with a number of the Gunners’ rivals also looking to strengthen in attacking positions. Here are six Rogers alternatives who the club could look to buy before the new Premier League season starts next month:
Morgan Rogers alternatives who Arsenal could now sign - Barcola to Williams
PSG and France star Bradley Barcola has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenalplaceholder image
PSG and France star Bradley Barcola has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal | AFP vGia Getty Images
Bradley Barcola - Paris Saint-Germain: Arsenal have a long and illustrious history with signing top quality French players - could Barcola be their latest Gallic gem? He’s been tipped to leave PSG this summer amid struggles to nail down a starting spot, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia very much the main man on the left flank. Barcola could be sold for around £85m, but there’s likely to be some strong rival interest from Liverpool.
Eli Junior Kroupi - Bournemouth: Another highly-rated French youngster, Kroupi isn’t quite as far along the development road as Barcola, but his breakthrough debut Premier League season with the Cherries has caused several high-profile Premier League sides to take an interest. He can play on either wing, as well as up top, and could be a genius investment for the future. He won’t come cheap, however.
Nico Williams - Athletic Bilbao: Could this be the summer Arsenal finally sign their long-term transfer target? He was heavily linked again this time last year, before ultimately signing a contract extension. Said new contract does, however, contain a £77m release clause, which the Gunners could activate and save themselves the bother of extensive club-to-club fee negotiations.
Morgan Rogers alternatives who Arsenal could now sign - Barcola to Williams
Marcus Rashford could leave Man United permanently this summer - could Arsenal make a move?placeholder image
Marcus Rashford could leave Man United permanently this summer - could Arsenal make a move? | AFP via Getty Images
Marcus Rashford - Manchester United: Moving onto the less obvious options, Rashford’s future at United continues to hang in the balance, with Barcelona opting not to sign their star loanee on a permanent basis. Like Kroupi, he can play on the left or through the middle, and showed his class is permanent with Barca last season, scoring 13 goals and providing ten assists across all competitions.
Kerim Alajbegovic - Bayer Leverkusen: The World Cup breakout star was linked with Arsenal earlier in the summer, but things have gone a little quiet of late. Chelsea are also thought to be in the mix for the Bundesliga winger, who could be sold for around £25m. He’s arguably not quite high profile enough to suit the Gunners’ need for a top class attacking signing, but his huge potential can’t be denied.
Alex Scott - Bournemouth: A left-field shout, but one that just might work. The £80m-rated gem is said to have turned down a new contract offer from Bournemouth, amid reports of enquiries from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Man City. He’s naturally a more deep-lying player than Rogers, but has played in the number ten role before and thrived.