Morgan Rogers has scooped the double for the award of Young Player of the Year at Aston Villa and in the Premier League. He spoke to the BBC about what it means to have earned this recognition.
‘I’m still trying to live that dream’
Rogers signed for an initial fee of £8 million in February 2024 after half a year in the second tier with Middlesbrough. Within weeks, he was turning the Premier League into a playground, nailing down a starting spot with Unai Emery and paving the way to a season where he earned the respect of peers.
“It means a lot especially coming from the players who voted, whom I’ve played against. For them to acknowledge me as doing well this year hits different. It’s a different kind of feeling. It’s really nice. I am so happy and so grateful that I managed to win this, and hopefully, many more things to come.”
A powerhouse performance in a 2-0 loss to **Arsenal**in August 2024 confirmed that the attacker could cut it with the best. By November, he wore the **England**shirt for the first time, and he became the second youngest Englishman to score a Champions League hat-trick in January against Celtic.
Life is changing quickly for the 23-year-old, who is taking his success in his stride at the moment.
“The fact it’s happened quick helped me. It’s all coming thick and fast and I am just trying to do what I can on the fly, try to enjoy it and live in the moment. Maybe one day I’ll look back on it, dissect how it came about. Right now I’m living life, enjoying it, taking each day and keeping a smile on my face.”
Rogers remembers that the ascent to the top is thanks to the hard work he has put in over the years. He was on the books at Manchester City between 2019 and 2023, but had to accept a series of loan spells at Lincoln City, Bournemouth, and **Blackpool**to bring him to the point where he is today.
“It’s all happened so quickly and so fast but it’s down to hard work and ambition which I have always had and a dream. I’m still trying to live that dream. It’s a nice moment and I want to just keep going.”
‘I want to be in the World Cup’
He is the fifth player to win the award with Aston Villa, and the recipient of the accolade last year was his fellow Citizens Under-21 player, Cole Palmer. There are many massive names to follow after earning this prize, and the attacker aspires to ensure that this is the beginning of a prosperous career.
“Later down the line, I want to be one of those incredible players people speak about, so to do that I have to do what they did and what they followed after. It’s a nice recognition but there’s more to win.”
Rogers recognises that success will only continue if he stays grounded and takes things step-by-step.
“Different things come up and you have different things you want to reach. You don’t want to look too far ahead, you have to try and stay focused. I’ve got a good family that help me do that and help me see my goals and visions and not get too carried away. That’s vital for me to know what is next.”
He has tasted the high life for club and country, but the next twelve months are all about kicking on. With the Villans, Rogers would love to be a part of the first team to win a trophy since the 1996 League Cup, and the attacker also outlined two more targets that he has in mind for this campaign.
*“I want to be back here next picking up a different trophy. That’s the aim. That’s the goal. I want to be in the World Cup. I want to play for my country at the World Cup. It’s the biggest stage, the biggest honour and I have got a lot of work to do to get there. I know that. I am going to be competing against loads of great players and amazing players every week and it’s my turn to show what I am about.”*