Chelsea are ramping up their transfer activity this summer under new manager Xabi Alonso, with the club setting their sights on Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea have held talks with Rogers’ representatives alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, with Villa holding firm on their £100m asking price.
Chelsea’s co-director of recruitment, Joe Shields, is described as a big admirer of the 23-year-old, having played a crucial role in his initial move to the Etihad several years ago.
Arsenal currently appear to be leading the race, with Rogers reportedly keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium, though nothing has been finalised.
Rogers has put together back-to-back 14-goal seasons, adding 16 assists in 2024/25 and a further 12 in 2025/26, demonstrating consistent growth as an attacking midfielder.
The Villa star drew comparisons to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign that culminated in his exclusion from England’s World Cup squad by Thomas Tuchel.
Palmer scored 11 goals and registered just three assists in all competitions last term, a significant drop from his peak of 27 goals and 15 assists during his debut season at Stamford Bridge.
Per-90-minute statistics from 2025/26 reveal just how similar Rogers and Palmer are, with both players recording identical through ball numbers and nearly matching figures for successful dribbles and progressive actions.
Rogers produces 6.19 progressive actions per 90 minutes compared to Palmer’s 5.45, while Palmer leads in shots per game with 2.93 against Rogers’ 2.30, highlighting two players with complementary but closely matched profiles.
Both England internationals share a similar career trajectory, having been forced to leave Manchester City to fulfil their potential, with Rogers now at a comparable crossroads in his development.
Chelsea had already shown signs of transfer intent before the Rogers links emerged, with reports confirming the club agreed a £43m deal to sign Cagliari defender Marco Palestra, who was officially voted the best defender in Serie A last season.
Alonso is said to be given more freedom in the transfer market than previous coaches during the BlueCo era, a shift in approach that could prove decisive as Chelsea push to land Rogers ahead of their Premier League rivals.