Mikel Arteta wants Morgan Rogers at Arsenal.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is said to be personally leading his side to the signing of Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers, per talkSPORT.
The Gunners are believed to be stepping up their interest in Rogers. They just won the Premier League and have a shot at Champions League glory when they play holders Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
To hold onto one or both titles, Arteta will want to improve his squad, and it’s reported he’s ‘personally leading the drive’ for Rogers, who himself has just won a European trophy, scoring in Aston Villa’s 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final.
Rogers, valued over £100million by Villa, has become one of their very best players, and is also high in the thinking of England boss Thomas Tuchel, who’s taking him to the World Cup after a series of impressive Three Lions performances.
Rogers is linked with some of the Premier League’s best sides, including Chelsea and Manchester United.
But champions Arsenal are believed to have already held preliminary talks with his advisors.
It is not clear whether they would be open to their client leaving Villa, where he’s been given a home and has helped to drive them to European glory.
Indeed, in the European triumph, he scored three goals and assisted a further three, while also netting 10 Premier League goals in just his second full season, alongside seven assists.
Arteta intent clear
It’s said Arsenal boss Arteta sees landing Rogers as a signal of intent, and that intent is surely to further the gap between his side and the others in the Premier League than what it already is.
The Gunners won the Premier League title by seven points this season, while the gap to third-placd Manchester United was 14 points.
That’s the sort of gap they’ll looking to maintain to the sides below them, and with Manchester City boss leaving the second-placed side after 10 years, the crossover period to new boss Enzo Maresca could be the perfect time for Arsenal to wedge themselves even further on than they already are.
The signing of one of the Premier League’s very best playmakers is a fantastic way to ensure that.
That said, Villa want a lot of money for Rogers and are in a very strong position, having just won silverware and confirmed Champions League football for next season.