Morgan Rogers transfer bombshell dropped as Man Utd, Arsenal mobilise and sacrificial lambs named | OneFootball

A report strongly suggests Aston Villa will reluctantly cash in on star man Morgan Rogers this summer, and Manchester United, Arsenal and one other heavyweight side have upped their interest.

The first half of Rogers’ season was player of the year calibre, with the Aston Villa ace thrusting Unai Emery’s side into the title picture.

The 23-year-old has been quieter since the calendar rolled over to 2026, though there are no doubts about the level of player he truly is.

Naturally, Villa would love to retain their star attacker at all costs. However, the latest from The Times suggests the club’s financial position could necessitate a painful sale.

The sale of Rogers was termed the ‘most straightforward’ way for Villa to ‘alleviate some of [their] financial pressures and prevent potential rule breaches.’

The reason why Rogers and Rogers alone could balance the books is because of the mammoth fee he’d move for.

A fee in excess of £80m was cited in the piece, with Villa determined to hold out for at least that number given they’ll owe Rogers’ former club Middlesbrough 20 percent of the profit from the sale.

Boro previously sold Rogers to Villa for £15m. As such, an £80m sale, for example, would net Boro 20 percent of £65m = £13m.

Regarding suitors, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea were named by the report, though when detailing their interest, it focused primarily on United and Arsenal.

Both clubs want a high quality new left winger this summer, and it’s on the left where Rogers prefers to play.

However, his versatility and willingness to play numerous positions in the front line – such as No 10 and False 9 – reportedly ‘makes him more attractive to elite clubs’ like United and Arsenal.

If a move to Mikel Arteta’s champions-in-waiting did occur, the report stated one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli would be tossed aside.

The Times concluded: ‘Arsenal could sell either of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli owing to performance and contractual reasons.

‘Trossard, 31, has a year left on his contract and has been less influential in the second part of the season. Arsenal have an option to extend Martinelli’s contract by one season to 2028 but may offer him a new, longer deal this summer if he is willing to be a squad player.

‘They have also tracked Anthony Gordon, possibly in the belief that Newcastle United will have to sell players this summer. He has scored 17 and claimed five assists across competitions.’