Aston Villa need to sell as Arsenal make 23yo top target

Aston Villa need to sell this summer, and Morgan Rogers remains Arsenal’s top target, but the situation is reportedly static at the moment.

Sebastien Stafford-Bloor and Jacob Tanswell report for The Athletic that Arsenal are yet to make a formal offer for Morgan Rogers, with the situation currently remaining static.

Villa want more for Rogers than Manchester City paid for Elliot Anderson (£116m), and their current position is that they don’t want him to leave at all.

Yet The Athletic’s report also includes James McNicholas writing that Rogers remains Arsenal’s top summer target, and Chris Weatherspoon reporting that Villa “need to sell” this summer.

Rogers’ departure is likely the easiest way to ease Villa’s financial situation and avoid hefty UEFA fines or a European ban.

A £130m valuation is likely to put Arsenal off, and Rogers himself has questioned such a high price for his signing.

With Villa’s need to cash in on someone this summer, Arsenal may feel their best option is to delay until the midlands club get a bit more desperate, then make a more reasonable offer.

Given Rogers is currently at the World Cup and unavailable for club football, there’s no real rush right now anyway.

Rogers scored 14 goals and assisted another 12 this season, and as mentioned, he’s playing for England at the World Cup. But whilst those are good numbers, they aren’t £130m-signing numbers.

Arsenal evidently remain interested, but they’ll want a better price.

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