Manchester City can boast such a talented squad most of the time, that some gems do tend to slip through the cracks.
The most famous example of this is Cole Palmer – who is now a bona fide superstar after moving to Chelsea in a £42.5m deal back in September 2023.
Romeo Lavia and Liam Delap have also slipped away from Manchester City – although Morgan Rogers is arguably the worst mistake of the bunch behind Palmer after what Oliver Dehnhardt has now told the Daily Mail.
Analyst claims Morgan Rogers is now on par with Jude Bellingham
Before Palmer moved to Chelsea, Manchester City sold a different City Football Academy graduate, as Rogers was allowed to join Middlesbrough for a sum of just £1m back in July 2023.
Impressive performances on Teesside earned the attacking midfielder a £15m move to Aston Villa the following January, where he has blossomed into a truly exceptional talent – so much so that Dehnhardt believes he is now on par with Jude Bellingham of all players.
The Head of Football Strategy at Eyeball – a worldwide scouting company – said: “He attacks the penalty box with the ball at his feet – that means fouls, penalties, a completely different set of problems for a defending team.
More Man City News
“He reminds me of Paul Pogba when he was at Juventus, or Yaya Toure at Manchester City under Roberto Mancini, when he used to move from the No.6 to the No.10 position later in a game.
“I think he can play in one of the top clubs like Bayern Munich or Liverpool and he can be as decisive as Jude Bellingham for club and country. In fact, I could see them playing very well together for England.”
Rogers enjoyed a spectacular 2024/25 campaign, scoring 14 goals and providing 16 assists in 54 appearances across all competitions for Aston Villa – including a goal away to PSG, the eventual UEFA Champions League winners.
Manchester City show signs they have learned from past mistakes
Selling both Palmer and Rogers – who has been likened to Wayne Rooney – is, quite simply, inexcusable from Manchester City, and they have to take responsibility for two significant mistakes.
However – in fairness – those on the recruitment team now seem to be learning.
James McAtee in action during Manchester United v Manchester City.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Another City Football Academy graduate in James McAtee was recently sold to Nottingham Forest in a £30m deal, which crucially involves a buy-back clause for Manchester City.
It means, should the England U21 international blossom at the City Ground like Palmer and Rogers have at Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, there is a way for Manchester City to bring him back.