Arsenal are ready to push ahead with a £100million deal to sign Morgan Rogers and are 'confident' of beating Manchester United and Chelsea to his signature. Premier League champions Arsenal, who have also discussed a £60m transfer for burgeoning World Cup star Ayyoub Bouaddi, are prepared to spend big this summer in a bid to defend their title.
Rogers at the Top of Arteta's Wishlist
Top of Mikel Arteta’s wishlist sits Rogers, the Aston Villa playmaker who enjoyed a stellar season last term as Unai Emery’s side lifted the Europa League trophy and finished fourth in the Premier League. According to The Times, Arsenal are set to accelerate their interest in the 23-year-old England international, who registered 14 goals and 12 assists for Villa last campaign and is currently across the Atlantic with England at the World Cup.
Villa's Valuation and Potential Obstacles
There has not yet been any contact between the two clubs concerning Rogers, though the expectation is that Villa’s valuation will approach £100m, owing to Villa’s need to pay 20% of the profit from the sale to the forward's previous club, Middlesbrough. Villa may also cite Nottingham Forest’s £120m asking price for Elliot Anderson, Rogers’s fellow England midfielder, in an attempt to inflate the fee even further. Unai Emery’s side, however, have made it abundantly clear that Rogers is not for sale and remains central to the club’s plans ahead of their Champions League return. Nevertheless, a bid in excess of £100m would surely be seriously considered by Villa, who are expected to have to sell to execute their own transfer plans.
Arsenal Confident of Beating Rivals
The England international also has interest from United and Chelsea but the same report claims that Arsenal believe they are the frontrunners and won't have any issues agreeing personal terms with him. Arteta is also said to view Rogers as someone who is capable of playing on the left or centrally in his system at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal Hold Talks for Ayyoub Bouaddi
Elsewhere, Arsenal have held talks regarding Ayyoub Bouaddi, the seventh youngest player at this year’s World Cup. The 18-year-old midfielder, who has impressed in the opening two games of the tournament for his country, became the youngest player to reach 50 Ligue 1 appearances in January this year. Bouaddi, who currently plays for Lille, has attracted interest from a range of top European clubs, including Real Madrid, PSG and Chelsea - and has already caused a stir with some of his performances this month on the international stage in North America.
Bouaddi's Potential Role at Arsenal
While Bouaddi can provide cover at right-back, the teenager would primarily give Arteta more depth in midfield, an area in which Arsenal are actively looking to improve in the transfer market. The 18-year-old would be able to play alongside Declan Rice or as the sole number six should Arteta opt to use Rice further up the pitch as a number eight.
Lille's Asking Price and Growing Interest
Lille, however, are in no rush to sell and have valued the teenager at about £60m, as per the same report. Bouaddi’s reputation, and presumably Lille’s asking price, is growing rapidly after two stellar performances at the World Cup, and the battle for his signature will certainly intensify in the coming months.
