There was some scepticism about why Aston Villa pursued Morgan Rogers 18 months ago...
Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers
Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers
Last season, I wrote that Morgan Rogers would be one of the players to watch in the Premier League - not just at Villa. I love to say I told you so.
Aside from Ollie Watkins’ staggering output since joining the club, Rogers’ 18 goal involvements in the league last season were the second most any Villa player has posted since promotion in 2019, and he also bagged four goals in the Champions League, including a memorable hat-trick against Celtic.
On another day, it would have been Rogers’ goal that fired Villa back into the Champions League - but referee Thomas Bramall dropped a clanger. Let’s draw a line under Old Trafford there, shall we?
Fast forward to next summer, and Rogers won’t just be on the plane for the World Cup - if his development continues at this pace, Thomas Tuchel will surely see him as a key figure for England.
There was plenty of scepticism when Villa signed him from Middlesbrough. Even though the fee was only £8 million, rising to £15 million with add-ons, some questioned whether the 22-year-old could make the step up.
But Rogers silenced those doubts within weeks. He probably didn’t expect to play as much as he did, but Jacob Ramsey’s injury opened the door - and Rogers seized the opportunity.
Every player has a price, but Villa are in no rush to sell their prized asset - especially after just one full campaign at the club. There’s every chance his valuation will continue to rise. He signed a contract extension back in November, and has five years remaining on his deal.
“That’s how quickly football can change,” Rogers said last season. “It is mad to know where I’ve got to in a short space of time but that is also what motivates me to think: ‘Where can I be in another year or three years?’ I don’t just want to stop here.”
Rogers also credits Unai Emery’s coaching with his rapid growth - and even sees similarities between him and his former boss at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola.
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“Him and Pep are kind of similar in a way,” Rogers said in an interview with TNT Sports. “In terms of the way they structure their teams, in terms of the way that they're so demanding of you, structurally and tactically.
"But obviously working closer with Unai Emery than I did with Pep, we've got that relationship where it's like a love-hate kind of thing. He wants the best of me. He's going to be demanding. He's going to be on top of me non-stop throughout the week because he knows my capabilities.
"He knows what I can do. He wants to push me, wants to improve me and that's the best way for me. With me and him, it's perfect. I may not like it at the time. Maybe, no, I might not agree with it, but I know he's one of the best managers in the world, in my opinion, so I'm going to listen. I'm going to take it on board, because I know that it's going to bring positive results, not just to the team, but for myself personally."
Rogers may not be Villa’s sole “key man” - and no team with ambitions of a Champions League finish or European trophy can rely on just one star. But when he’s on his game, there are few attackers in the Premier League you’d rather have.
Similar can be said of captain John McGinn as Villa tend to play well when he does. The Scot sets the tone and drives the team’s tempo.
Watkins, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, and Ezri Konsa are set to remain vital to Emery’s plans. Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres also share equal responsibility as Villa’s left-sided defensive duo.
Meanwhile, Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen - signed for a combined £87.5 million last summer - are expected to kick on, and their development could be one of the most exciting subplots of the season. Both will need to find more consistency, but if they do, they could feel like new signings after relatively quiet debut campaigns.
The same goes for Donyell Malen, who will be eager to make a bigger impact. The £20 million signing from Borussia Dortmund started just three Premier League games last season and was left out of Emery’s Champions League knockout squad. He’ll be keen to prove his worth from the very first whistle.
Who do you think will be the key man for Villa? Tell us here