Chelsea have completed the signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record £117m, making the 23-year-old the most expensive English footballer in history. The attacking midfielder has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge with an option for a further year, beating the previous record held by Elliot Anderson after his move to Manchester City.
The Blues beat off competition from Arsenal, who valued Rogers at £80m and were unwilling to match Chelsea's offer. The deal marks a major early victory for new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, who held productive talks with the England international to convince him to move to west London.
“I'm so excited. For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I've always admired since I was a kid,” Rogers said. “I've had a few conversations with him [Alonso] and it very much fits with the way I see the game, the way I want to play, and the way I want to be me, and be free and express myself.”
Rogers began his career at West Brom's academy before joining Manchester City in 2019, though he made no first-team appearances and spent loans at Lincoln, Bournemouth and Blackpool. He moved to Middlesbrough in 2023 for an undisclosed fee, scoring five times in their League Cup run, before joining Aston Villa in January 2024 for £8m, potentially rising to £15m. In total, he made 125 appearances for Villa, scoring 31 goals and helping them win the Europa League title last season.
On the international stage, Rogers made his senior England debut in November 2004 in a 3-0 victory against Greece in Athens. He has earned 22 caps and scored once, representing his country at the recent World Cup.
