Arsenal are preparing an opening bid for Morgan Rogers as Aston Villa stand firm in their resolve to keep the attacker.
According to a report by Football Insider, Arsenal are expected to make an opening bid for Morgan Rogers in the coming period. Aston Villa maintain that their star attacker is not for sale, but that has not deterred the Gunners from continuing their pursuit.
Mikel Arteta considers the England international his top attacking target for the summer transfer window. The Spanish tactician aims to defend their Premier League title while progressing further in the UEFA Champions League following their loss on penalties in the final against PSG.
The left-wing position is a key area for Arteta to strengthen. The Arsenal manager views Rogers as the main target for the left-hand side and someone who could develop his game in that role.
Will Arsenal lodge a bid to sign Morgan Rogers soon?
The dual benefit of landing the 23-year-old Aston Villa star is that he could also fit in centrally, which is where he has played for most of the time under Unai Emery. Rogers’s ability to operate on the left wing or centrally addresses Arsenal’s need for positional adaptability in attack.
The Englishman boasted 0.27 goals, 0.19 xG, 2.30 shots, 0.16 assists, 0.12 xA, 1.29 chances created, 4.96 touches in the opposition box, and 1.15 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, which shows he can operate and develop at Arsenal, while there is still plenty of scope for him to improve those numbers.
Rogers had other suitors earlier, as per reports, but he is eager to explore a switch to Arsenal, with the North Londoners reportedly lining up an approach. The Gunners are now widely expected to lodge an opening bid for Rogers to test Aston Villa’s resolve, with the West Midlands side not planning to sell the attacker ahead of their return to the Champions League.
With Rogers reportedly open to joining Arsenal, even if Aston Villa attempt to block a move, a price point exists at which the Birmingham club would consider a sale. The report states the move may cost upwards of £100 million, a nine-figure sum the Gunners appear willing to pursue.