Arsenal Turn Up Heat on Morgan Rogers as Villa Drop £20m from Asking Price

Aston Villa have softened their stance on Morgan Rogers this summer, slashing their asking price as Arsenal intensify their courtship of the Villa Park winger.

Since arriving from Middlesbrough for £8m in February 2024, Rogers has been a revelation for Villa, racking up 31 goals and 29 assists across 125 appearances. The Manchester City academy product has attracted admiring glances from several quarters, with Chelsea and Manchester United also circling, but it's Arsenal who have emerged as the genuine suitors.

Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta view Rogers as an ideal solution on the left wing, particularly with uncertainty hanging over both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli following Newcastle's interest in the pair.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are ready to commit fully to landing Rogers, though Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain remains on their radar. "Arsenal want to sign Morgan Rogers, and Arsenal will go all in for Morgan Rogers," Romano stated, adding that while Barcola "is still on the shortlist, nothing [is] imminent."

The price comes down

Sky Sports report that Arsenal are now actively "stepping up their interest" and "exploring the conditions of a deal," with Villa's Champions League qualification appearing irrelevant to Rogers' future. Club-to-club negotiations have yet to materialise at this stage.

Villa hold a strong hand on paper—Rogers signed fresh terms in November keeping him contracted until 2031—yet they've blinked first on valuation. Having previously demanded £100m, with some reports suggesting he could command even more in today's market, the Midlands outfit are now "expected to listen to offers around the £80m mark."

Rogers himself hasn't agitated for an exit, though he's understood to be attracted to the prospect of joining the Premier League champions this summer.