Arsenal are now considering a bid to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.
The England international enjoyed a breakout season in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring 14 goals and providing 15 assists in 54 appearances across all competitions to help Aston Villa reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, and secure sixth place in the Premier League.
As Arsenal add Morgan Rogers to the transfer shortlist – a claim from The Times – comments made by Mikel Arteta back in August now make for interesting reading.
Mikel Arteta has already shared what he loves about Morgan Rogers
Aside from Declan Rice, Arsenal lack powerful, athletic midfielders who can surge up the pitch and threaten opponents, which is perhaps why the Aston Villa No.27 is now being monitored by Andrea Berta.
After Arsenal recorded a 2-0 win at Villa Park back in August, Arteta hailed Rogers, as well as Amadou Onana, highlighting the muscle he offers in midfield.
Birmingham World quote the Spaniard as saying: “Every time they (Rogers and Onana) play at the moment they have and make the space. As soon as you lose the ball and you are counter-pressing, they break that press. They have a lot of legs, they are really powerful (when carrying) the ball between the centre-backs and full-backs.”
IT'S ROGERS AGAIN! 🔥
A divine start for Morgan Rogers who delivers two goals in just FOUR minutes 👏
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/aKwjXHAanw
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 29, 2025
In an age where many sides press with significant intensity, having a pressure-reliever in the team such as Rogers, who can turn a perilous defensive situation into a promising attack, is like gold dust.
Aston Villa could give Arsenal a repeat of the Declan Rice saga
Arsenal could have to get close to, or even break, their record transfer fee to pull this ambitious deal off.
The assist 😍 the touch 😍 the finish 😍 pic.twitter.com/ZbwT4IT9DD
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 5, 2025
TBR Football understand Aston Villa want £100m to sell Rogers this summer – with Liverpool also keen – which is just £5m off the £105m fee it took to sign Rice from West Ham.
With Arsenal also hoping to add Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres to the striker department, the Gunners will surely have to make a major sale in order to afford the Aston Villa star too.