It is fair to say that Aston Villa absolutely hit the jackpot when they paid an initial fee of £8m to sign Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough at the start of 2024.
The England international, who will be playing for his country at the World Cup next month, ended the 2025/26 campaign with a return of 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
That marks the second successive season of producing ten or more goals and assists, respectively, after racking up 14 goals and 13 assists in the 2024/25 term.
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring their first goal
Rogers has proven that he can make an impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis for Unai Emery, leading the team to a Champions League finish and a Europa League trophy this term.
The task at hand for the Villans, however, is to keep hold of him beyond the summer transfer window, as Manchester United and Arsenal are both keen on snapping him up.
Aston Villa eyeing deal to sign English playmaker
Losing Rogers, who scored and registered an assist in the Europa League final against Freiburg, would be a significant blow for Villa ahead of next season.
However, Emery and the recruitment team are looking at a potential signing who could arrive at the club as their next version of Rogers in the off-season.
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According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are one of a number of clubs pursuing a deal to sign Ethan Nwaneri from Arsenal in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that Como, Newcastle United, and Everton are among other teams eyeing up a possible move for the 19-year-old talent, as they all seek a permanent transfer for his services.
nwaneri-arsenal
It adds that the left-footed star is concerned about what his game time could look like with the Gunners in the 2026/27 campaign, which could open the door to a summer exit from The Emirates.
TEAMtalk does not reveal whether or not Arsenal are prepared to sanction a permanent move, though, or how much they would want if they did decide to sell him.
How Ethan Nwaneri can be Aston Villa's new Morgan Rogers
One of the reasons why Villa's success with Rogers is so impressive is that he did not look like an elite talent on paper at the time of his move to the club.
Morgan-Rogers-Aston-Villa
The attacking midfielder had been let go by Manchester City and only scored two goals and provided six assists in 26 games in the Championship, but the Villans saw his potential and have nurtured it brilliantly.
Now, Nwaneri finds himself in a similar position as he ended the season with three goals and one assist in all competitions and is out of favour at Arsenal, but his per 90 numbers in Ligue 1 suggest that the potential is there for him to be an excellent signing.
25/26 Ligue 1 Nwaneri per 90 Rank vs AMs
Goals 0.56 Top 9%
xG on target 0.39 Top 19%
xA 0.26 Top 12%
Assists 0.28 Top 17%
Successful crosses 1.12 Top 25%
Pass accuracy 88% Top 10%
The 19-year-old ace produced two goals and one assist in nine Ligue 1 matches for Marseille after joining them on loan for the second half of the campaign.
Joe Cole once described him as "the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe" and he still has so much development left to go through at his young age, which is why this could be the perfect time for Villa to swoop in.
Nwaneri has not yet shown consistency in the final third over an entire season, just like Rogers prior to his time at the club, but he has shown plenty of encouraging signs.
The England U21 international ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of nine goals in 37 matches in all competitions for Arsenal, including four goals in 11 starts in the Premier League.
Ethan-Nwaneri-Arsenal
This shows that he does have the quality to make an impact in the Premier League and in major competitions with top teams, but the next step for him is to deliver consistently.
Emery has proven that he can get the best out of young players with potential, given how Rogers' career at Villa Park has unfolded, and Nwaneri could be his next project.
Therefore, Villa must push to get a permanent deal done for the teenage maestro because he could be the club's next version of Rogers, possibly easing the blow of a potential exit for the England international.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery celebrates after winning the UEFA Europa League Related
La Liga club may be forced to sell £52m star to Everton or Aston Villa
He's one to watch...