Villa Eye Gibbs-White Contingency as Rogers Faces Summer Exit; Emery Chases Versatile Celta Defender

The prospect of losing Morgan Rogers this summer is forcing Aston Villa's hand in the transfer market. The 23-year-old has blossomed into one of the Premier League's standout talents this season, contributing eight goals and five assists across 26 appearances—and the vultures are circling.

Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been linked with the England international, with valuations potentially reaching £100m by the time the window opens. David Ornstein has already flagged Rogers as a player to monitor for the summer, and Villa appear to be taking no chances on keeping him.

Enter Morgan Gibbs-White. The Nottingham Forest winger has emerged as Villa's prime candidate to fill the void should Rogers depart. Gibbs-White came agonisingly close to joining Tottenham last summer when the north London club triggered his release clause, only for the move to collapse at the eleventh hour. He subsequently penned fresh terms at the City Ground.

This season has been less prolific than his 2024/25 campaign, but the former Wolves man remains Forest's most influential performer, registering eight goal involvements in 26 Premier League matches. Should Forest find themselves in the Championship next term, Gibbs-White would almost certainly seek an exit—and with several Premier League clubs monitoring his situation, the 26-year-old will scarcely lack suitors.

Meanwhile, Unai Emery has identified another target to strengthen his squad. The Villa manager has personally requested the club pursue Oscar Mingueza, the Celta Vigo defender who has also attracted attention from Newcastle and West Ham.

Emery's admiration for the versatile Spanish defender runs deep. The tactically astute centre-back—capable of operating across multiple positions, including midfield—represents precisely the type of intelligent, adaptable player the Villa boss has built his reputation on deploying effectively. Mingueza's positional intelligence and defensive acumen align perfectly with Emery's requirements as he looks to bolster his backline.