Arsenal are reportedly leveraging the influence of Declan Rice in an attempt to persuade Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers to join the club this summer, according to reports from The Daily Mail. Rogers, 23, has emerged as a key target for the Gunners following a standout season with Villa, where he scored 10 Premier League goals and provided six assists.
Sources indicate that Rogers is currently prioritizing a move to either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, despite interest from Chelsea. Manager Mikel Arteta is personally driving the effort to secure the England international’s signature. Rogers recently signed a long-term contract with Aston Villa, extending through 2031, but is understood to be receptive to a transfer before the close of the summer window.
Arsenal already possess a wealth of attacking midfield options including Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri, however Arteta views Rogers as a valuable addition, particularly due to his versatility as a left winger, given the uncertain futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. Rice, who completed a €116.6 million move to Arsenal in 2023, is actively engaging with Rogers, hoping to sway his decision. Fellow England internationals Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze are also reportedly prepared to play a role in convincing Rogers.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are believed to value Rogers at just under €100 million, though Aston Villa’s asking price could be influenced by the fee Manchester City ultimately pay for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. Arsenal are also pursuing other targets including Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola. Rogers himself recently acknowledged the transfer speculation, stating he is focused on the upcoming World Cup and views much of the reporting as “noise.”
