Emmanuel Petit shocked by Aston Villa’s ‘ridiculous’ asking price for Arsenal target Morgan Rogers | OneFootball

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit was shocked by Aston Villa’s £130 million asking price for Morgan Rogers.

He insists the figure is difficult to justify even if Rogers enjoyed a phenomenal campaign.

Rogers has emerged as one of the most sought-after attacking players in the Premier League after a standout campaign with Villa. 

Arsenal are among the clubs keeping a close eye on the 23-year-old as they look to add more creativity and depth in their forward line ahead of the new season.

Villa would demand as much as £130m to part with Rogers, a fee that would eclipse the Premier League transfer record. 

Swedish striker Alexander Isak currently holds that record following his £125m move from Newcastle United to Liverpool in 2025. 

Rogers is open to a move to Premier League champions Arsenal, while the prospect of playing abroad appeals to him. 

Petit struggled to hide his disbelief when he heard the reported valuation on talkSPORT. 

The former France international described modern transfer fees as increasingly difficult to understand, especially when they move beyond the £100m mark.

“This is a ridiculous amount of money,” Petit told talkSPORT. “I mean, since we got over the limit of £100m.

“Every single day, I see price tags on players that (make him say), ‘wow, my God’ if you are willing to spend that kind of money on a single player that can make a difference.

“It’s been the case for Declan Rice (who joined Arsenal in a £105m deal from West Ham United in 2023) – he’s done well, very well.

“But I wish him all the luck because that kind of price tag is huge pressure on your shoulders.”

While Rogers remains a player Arsenal admire, Petit believes the club should also consider other options if they can’t get Villa to lower their demands.

His preferred alternative is Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, although he has struggled with injuries, form and consistency in recent times.