Morgan Rogers has rejected Premier League champions Arsenal and a direct pitch from manager Mikel Arteta in favour of a record-breaking £117 million move to Chelsea. The 23-year-old midfielder, who starred for England at the World Cup after another impressive season at Aston Villa, will become the most expensive English player of all time once the transfer is completed.
Record-breaking deal
Rogers is due to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge on Monday after agreeing a six-year contract with Chelsea. The £117 million fee surpasses the £116 million Manchester City paid for his England teammate Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, and also eclipses Chelsea's previous record of £107 million spent on Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez three years ago.
Rogers has been one of the Premier League's most influential players since his £15 million move from Middlesbrough, scoring 28 goals over the last two seasons. His form earned him a place in England's World Cup squad, where he featured in all but one game and provided a superb assist for Anthony Gordon's semi-final goal that nearly sent England into their first final since 1966.
Why Rogers chose Chelsea over Arsenal
Arsenal pushed hard to secure Rogers' signature this summer, with Arteta identifying him as a main target after winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final. According to The Sun, Arteta even held a 'direct chat' with Rogers, laying out his vision for integrating him into the side. However, new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso also spoke privately to Rogers and 'delivered a stronger pitch' that helped convince him to snub Arsenal.
It is claimed the 'driving motivation' for Rogers was to compete for and win major trophies, and he believes he can achieve that at Chelsea after being impressed by Alonso's 'project'. While Arsenal won the Premier League last season and narrowly lost the Champions League final on penalties to PSG, Chelsea finished 10th and failed to qualify for European competition. Nevertheless, Rogers was 'convinced' Chelsea are on their way back to the top after speaking to Alonso.
Alonso's vision for Chelsea
During his first press conference as Chelsea manager, Alonso expressed his excitement about the club's potential. 'Firstly, I want to say thank you to everyone for the welcome,' he said. 'The excitement [for taking the job] is very simple, it's the club, the squad, and the opportunity to come to this great club. I want to be part of this club, working together with the sporting directors, with the players and with the staff around me in Cobham. We want to create excitement [in the team], to have that bond with the supporters and to win games and be successful. I see this as a club with great potential. There is a strong base here already and now we want to keep building to ensure we are competitive on the pitch. I feel really honoured and privileged [to be here] and I can't wait to get to work.'
Rogers' arrival marks a significant statement of intent from Chelsea as they look to return to the top under Alonso's leadership.
