Liam Rosenior. (Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Liam Rosenior has reportedly given the thumbs-up for a mega-money move this summer at Chelsea, with one of the Premier League’s biggest stars eyed ahead of next season.
Chelsea had a quiet January window by their recent standards, opting for more stability following the departure of Enzo Maresca early in the month.
Rosenior has the second half of the season to assess his squad ahead of the summer market, but it appears he has already made a big call by settling on one of his major targets.
Chelsea boss green-lights £100m move for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers
According to football news outlet Fichajes, Chelsea are hoping to lure Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge, with Rosenior a big fan of the England midfielder.
Aston Villa are said to be ‘aware’ of the Blues’ interest, while it is suggested that Chelsea’s planned proposal of £100m would be enough to get Villa to the negotiating table.
Villa previously sold Jack Grealish to Manchester City for £100m, but with Villa now operating in the same area of the table as Chelsea – they continue to lead them in the race for a Champions League spot – there will surely be a case to make for Rogers to stay put.
At the very least, an added tax for selling to a direct Premier League rival would surely be in the offing, making it clear that this would not be a simple negotiation.
While 23-year-old Rogers fits the profile of your typical Chelsea signing under BlueCo – the 2025/26 squad has a median age of just 22 – the midfielder is arguably more of a finished article than an up-and-coming hot prospect, with plenty of room to grow over the next few years.
The arrival of Joao Pedro in the summer was another move of this ilk, with Conference League and Club World Cup winners Chelsea now potentially ready to build a squad for the next level.
Their deep financial pockets have always given them the capacity to do this, but there has been a clear and concerted effort to fill the squad with promising talent, and perhaps we have already seen the beginning of the next phase of rebuilding.
However, given that Rogers has contributed to over 50 goals in less than two seasons at Villa, he is far more than someone with a bright future – Rogers is already one of the league’s best players.
Therefore, £100m suddenly seems a fair price for his services, particularly in this day and age. But would Villa willingly submit to Chelsea’s reported offer when they could end up having the more successful season?
The conclusion to the campaign could yet have a say in where Rogers ends up next term, but considering that Villa have no need to sell their star player (his contract has over five years to run), you would not expect them to go down lightly.
About the Author
