Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea have won the race to sign Arsenal attacking target Morgen Rogers ahead of the new season.
Chelsea have agreed a £117 million deal with Aston Villa for Morgan Rogers, beating Arsenal to sign the England international, per David Ornstein. Rogers is expected to sign a six-year contract with the option of a further year, while his medical has been scheduled for Monday.
The move represents a major twist in what had looked like an increasingly promising pursuit for Arsenal. TEAMtalk reported that Mikel Arteta’s team had made significant progress in their pursuit of the 23-year-old.
The Gunners had already reached an agreement on personal terms in principle with Rogers and were preparing to shift their full focus towards negotiating a transfer fee with Aston Villa.
Arteta had internally identified Rogers as his preferred option to strengthen the left side of Arsenal’s attack, with Leandro Trossard leaving and Gabriel Martinelli‘s future uncertain. Sporting director Andrea Berta had also spent several weeks laying the groundwork for a potential move, with the North London club preparing to submit their first formal offer.
Chelsea hijack Arsenal’s move for Rogers
Instead, Chelsea moved decisively ahead, hijacking the deal. Rogers made it clear he preferred a move to Stamford Bridge. Xabi Alonso’s vision for Chelsea persuaded the English international, who will most likely replace the exit-linked Alejandro Garnacho.
Chelsea ultimately agreed to Aston Villa’s asking price, allowing talks to progress rapidly towards a full agreement. Villa had valued Rogers as one of the club’s most important assets after another outstanding campaign, where he contributed towards 26 goals in 55 outings.
The deal is another statement of intent from Chelsea, who continue to strengthen under Alonso ahead of the new season. For Arsenal, the loss is significant. The Gunners had invested considerable time into the operation and believed they were well positioned to secure Rogers’ signature once formal club-to-club negotiations began.
Now they face the prospect of returning to the market in search of an alternative attacking target after Chelsea moved decisively ahead. Rogers’ arrival will provide the Blues with another versatile attacking option capable of playing across the frontline, while also adding Premier League-proven quality to Alonso’s squad.
