Man City Set to Block Arsenal's Morgan Rogers Pursuit This Summer

Arsenal's hunt for attacking reinforcements could hit a significant stumbling block, with Manchester City reportedly prepared to swoop for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers themselves rather than let the Gunners land the talented midfielder.

The north London outfit, fresh from winning the Premier League title and reaching the Champions League final, are keen to bolster their forward options ahead of next season. Rogers fits the profile of attacking midfielder they're chasing, and the player is understood to be receptive to the move.

But City have other ideas. According to Mick Brown, a former Manchester United chief scout with deep Premier League connections, Guardiola's outfit won't simply stand aside and watch Arsenal strengthen.

"It wouldn't surprise me to see Rogers go back to Man City," Brown told Football Insider. "They've been keeping a close eye on him since he left a few years ago, first at Middlesbrough and now at Villa, and he looks to have brushed off any concerns."

Brown explained that Rogers was initially allowed to depart City due to attitude and commitment questions, but has since addressed those reservations through his performances at Villa. With City facing potential departures and the managerial change from Guardiola to Enzo Maresca, the club will be keen to refresh their attacking arsenal.

"When you see Arsenal are interested in Rogers, or PSG, they won't want one of their former players to go and strengthen their rivals," Brown continued. "If he's going to be available, they will want to beat those other clubs to him and get a deal done first, because it strengthens them while stopping Arsenal."

Rogers' summer could prove pivotal. The midfielder is set for World Cup duty with England and a strong tournament could intensify the bidding war among Europe's elite.

Not everyone is convinced Arsenal represent an attractive destination, however. Richard Keys, the former Sky Sports presenter, suggested Rogers would be making a mistake by joining the Gunners. "If I'm Morgan Rogers I'm not going anywhere near Arsenal," Keys posted on social media. "He should ask Eze how he feels about his move."

Rogers has delivered the goods for Villa this season, helping them to Europa League glory and a top-four Premier League finish. His form has caught the attention of England's coaching staff, with Alan Shearer backing him to start ahead of Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham at the World Cup.

"At the minute, Rogers has maybe just edged it," Shearer told The Sun. "Bellingham's had one or two injury problems and Rogers has been able to go in there and do very well. Rogers has been fantastic. He's a really, really talented guy and he's earned the right to go into a World Cup and hopefully do very, very well."

Shearer added that Thomas Tuchel's squad depth means the starting XI could rotate throughout the tournament, but Rogers' recent performances have earned him the opportunity to make his mark on the international stage.