Why it makes perfect sense that Arsenal are interested in Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers

[p][a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Wou3f9vS7S6ixjff2vckN?si=Kay3CJliRjmT6Y14VB03ZA" target="_blank"][b]Click here to listen to this article on Spotify[/b][/a][/p][p]The Villans comprehensively beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/freiburg/fiEQZ7C7/"]Freiburg[/a] in the recent Europa League final and had already qualified for next season's Champions League through their league placing, whilst the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Gunners[/a] finally won the Premier League title again after 22 years of trying, and they find themselves on the cusp of history with a Champions League final date against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] to come.[/p][p]Clearly, then, both Emery and Arteta are doing something right, but in order to continue to be successful, they not only need to keep hold of their best players but also to add more quality to their squads.[/p][p]The best teams always get ahead of the curve and strengthen while they're still winning titles, rather than waiting for a dip in collective form before raiding the transfer kitty.[/p][embed guid="a0ba5501-2c58-46cf-8849-01ebaeadf8a9" url="https://x.com/henrywinter/status/2059384417840255384" social-type="twitter" /][p]To the immense credit of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] and Arsenal boards, both have backed their managers to the hilt in the transfer market to this point, and that's now beginning to pay dividends.[/p][p]In order for the clubs to continue on that upward trajectory, however, and with one eye also on Financial Fair Play, player purchases will likely have to be offset by sales.[/p][p]It's fairly obvious that neither would want to lose those players who have led the charge in 2025/26, but sacrifices may have to be made for the greater good.[/p][h2]Great output from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a][/h2][p]From Villa's perspective, one of their most consistent performers has been Morgan Rogers, who will form part of Thomas Tuchel's England squad at the forthcoming World Cup.[/p][image alt="Morgan Rogers - Recent stats" id="62ef21df-78a4-4bb2-828a-a1754f99c8db" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="d0904125-cbf6-4a6b-9b03-8b532f614f13" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The 23-year-old scored a laudable 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 55 games in all competitions during the 25/26 campaign, and supplemented that output with his physical prowess and direct runs from midfield.[/p][p]Indeed, only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watkins-ollie/rHnOkDD8/"]Ollie Watkins[/a] outscored him with 14 goals, and no other squad member could match Rogers' assist total.[/p][h2]Fabulous all-round game[/h2][p]His 754 passes ending in the final third across the season were 198 more than anyone else, whilst his 78 chances created were also a squad-best showing, and well ahead of second-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcginn-john/rgGnzD2e/"]John McGinn[/a]'s 54.[/p][p]Nine yellow cards (only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cash-matty/hfxPh7Kn/"]Matty Cash[/a] had more in 25/26) hint at how Rogers likes to play the game, and he's been able to use his physical attributes in a positive way, contesting the most duels in the Villa first-team (616). [/p][image alt="Morgan Rogers radar graphic - Premier League 2025/26" id="94efa8f9-23a7-4b85-b42a-c0c0191a8dab" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="9342830a-25f7-4af8-b5d2-707a6a246fff" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p]He's also contested 126 aerial duels, which is only just behind Watkins' 129, and his 179 ball recoveries is once again a best in class showing.[/p][p]50 tackles attempted with a 54% success rate isn't poor by any means, but neither is it the best.[/p][h2]Arsenal bid incoming?[/h2][p]Taking that all-round game into account, it's not really a surprise to learn that Arteta apparently has more than a keen interest in trying to land the player for Arsenal.[/p][p]That stance won't win him any friends on the claret and blue side of Birmingham, least of all Emery, but it's perfectly understandable.[/p][p]Arsenal don't really need to be buying players that could do a job, or just because they fit in. They have to be looking to acquire those names who will shake up the dressing room and improve it. [/p][p]Which players can come up and ruffle a few feathers? Who will make the regulars in the Gunners' starting XI take stock and realise that it isn't a given that they'll play every week?[/p][p]That's precisely the sort of situation that Arteta and his squad could thrive on, and now that they've broken through the glass ceiling of landing the EPL title once again, there's every reason to think the North Londoners could go on to even greater things.[/p][h2]England camp could see [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Rice[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eze[/a] in Rogers' ear[/h2][p]It's not too much of a stretch to imagine that Rogers' England midfield colleagues Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze will be getting in his ear during what could become a six or seven-week camp if the Three Lions go all the way in the USA.[/p][embed guid="f7f1052d-5ad5-4a8d-8b4e-25aca23bc928" url="https://x.com/England/status/1978218003570569488" social-type="twitter" /][p]Interestingly, Rice and Rogers are actually the only two players who have played in every game under Thomas Tuchel to date.[/p][p]With the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinelli/dITe5M88/"]Gabriel Martinelli[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trossard-leandro/xUAbnjp2/"]Leandro Trossard[/a] thought to be at least two candidates who could leave the Emirates Stadium outfit this summer, too, landing Rogers makes an awful lot of sense.[/p][p]At the time of writing, however, Villa hold all the aces, and they've absolutely no need to sell.[/p][embed guid="b1b0cece-ca49-4172-8b98-53453cd4a026" url="https://x.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1987830091179532405" social-type="twitter" /][p]That's because the attacking midfielder only signed a contract extension until 2031 at the back end of last year, and has made no comment whatsoever on his future either.[/p][p]Clearly, if he were to move on, he wouldn't come cheap, and that could be problematic for the Gunners in any event.[/p][image alt="Jason Pettigrove" id="9a473fa5-017b-4ab1-a0d6-c32ba40fc6ec" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="70093e74-97f7-4cc8-9c6d-3df07d7b4d4f" original-width="1200" original-height="380" /]