Morgan Rogers
Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement with Aston Villa to sign England international Morgan Rogers in a club-record transfer worth £117 million, with the deal now entering its final stages.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder is expected to sign a six-year contract until 2032, with the option of an additional year. Personal terms have already been agreed, while a medical has been scheduled for Monday.
Rogers is understood to have chosen Chelsea ahead of Arsenal, with the opportunity to work under new manager Xabi Alonso and the club’s long-term project playing a key role in his decision.
Once completed, the transfer will become Chelsea’s most expensive signing, surpassing the £106 million paid to Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in 2023. It will also set a new British transfer record, eclipsing the £116 million Manchester City agreed to pay Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson earlier this summer.
The England international joined Aston Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 for an initial £7 million, with a further £8 million in performance-related add-ons. Middlesbrough are also set to benefit from a 20 per cent sell-on clause included in the deal.
Rogers has developed into one of the Premier League’s standout attacking midfielders, registering 31 goals and 29 assists in 125 appearances for Villa.
During the 2025-26 season, he contributed 14 goals and 12 assists in 55 matches, helping Villa secure UEFA Champions League qualification and win the UEFA Europa League.
The former Manchester City academy graduate earned his first England senior call-up in November 2024 and featured prominently during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including providing the assist for Anthony Gordon’s goal in England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina. He remains with the England squad for the third-place playoff against France.