Jamie Carragher has admitted that the £117m fee paid to bring Morgan Rogers to Chelsea does not look like too much of an overpayment after his latest match-winning performance. Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher, who played for Liverpool, said that the fee had been a shocker for pundits in the summer, before agreeing with host David Jones that the move was now a steal.
Rogers became the most expensive British player of all time after joining from Aston Villa in July, surpassing the £116m paid by Manchester City to Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson just weeks earlier. Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher said:
“I think it was one of those transfers in the summer, a little bit like Elliot Anderson, where we all went, ‘wow’. The figure, what was it, £117m?”
Jones said it was a steal and Carragher agreed:
“Yeah, well it is now, isn’t it? He’s been absolutely fantastic for Chelsea and obviously the big difference at the weekend. He’s scoring all types of different goals. Every goal he gets is different.”
Rogers has adapted to life at Stamford Bridge. While there was little doubt about his ability, many were sceptical that a 23-year-old could justify such a huge fee in his first season. However, he has answered his doubters emphatically.
Rogers’ goal against Manchester United was the perfect example of why Chelsea were willing to pay so much. Five minutes into the second half, Romeo Lavia won the ball and played Rogers in around 35 yards out. The England international drove through a static backline, dodged Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez, then finished calmly with a chip over Senne Lammens.
The goal broke the deadlock in a game that United had arguably dominated up until half-time. Cole Palmer added a penalty in the 64th minute after Martinez was shown a red card, and the 2-0 victory saw Chelsea move into the top four.
According to Opta data, Rogers had the most shots (six), shots on target (three) and touches in the opposition box (12) of any player on the pitch. He also took his goal tally to six and his assist tally to four in all competitions this season.
‘That’s What He Does’ – Cole Palmer Praises Morgan Rogers After Man United Goal
Cole Palmer was also impressed with how much Rogers contributed against Manchester United. The two have known each other since coming through Manchester City’s academy and are now sharing the attacking duties under Xabi Alonso.
Palmer said after the final whistle:
“That’s what he does, you know. He gets the ball between the lines and when he drives he makes things happen. He went all the way himself and it was a great finish.”
Ever since Rogers scored on his debut in a 3-2 victory at Fulham in August, Alonso has had a forward who can change a tight game with a run from deep. This makes him an extremely valuable asset. Chelsea will be hoping he can continue his hot streak when they visit Sunderland on Sunday.