Aston Villa have told suitors that Morgan Rogers is not for sale this summer, the BBC reported on Wednesday, as interest in the twenty-two-year-old attacking midfielder grows among several elite European clubs.
Villa’s position is that Rogers is central to their plans under Unai Emery and that no fee would change their stance. The former Middlesbrough player signed a new contract at Villa Park last year and is viewed by the club’s recruitment team as one of the building blocks of the next phase of their project. No specific bid has been disclosed, but the BBC’s reporting indicates that multiple Champions League clubs have made enquiries that have been rebuffed.
The BBC broke the story on Wednesday morning as part of its daily gossip roundup, with no named individual journalist credited on the piece. The report forms part of a wider roundup that also covers Barcelona’s interest in Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Real Madrid’s talks with Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.
Rogers made thirty-seven appearances across all competitions for Villa last season, contributing nine goals and six assists. His ability to operate across the attacking midfield and forward lines has made him a priority retention for Emery, who has overseen the club’s rise into the Champions League places over the past two campaigns.
Villa are not expected to field any formal bid for Rogers, and the club’s communication to interested parties has been described as unambiguous. The next signal to watch is whether any club tests that stance with a written offer, which Villa are expected to reject regardless of the number.
