Chelsea are reportedly “obsessed” with signing Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, even as Arsenal remain the player’s preferred destination this summer.
The 23-year-old is currently representing England at the 2026 World Cup, but transfer speculation surrounding his future has continued to gather pace regardless.
According to reporter Simon Phillips, Chelsea have been working on a potential deal for Rogers for a considerable period of time and show no signs of backing down.
Phillips cited sources saying: “Chelsea are ‘obsessed’ with Rogers and have been chasing him and working on a deal for ages.”
He added that Rogers has not rejected Chelsea outright, stating: “As I keep reporting, Rogers has not rejected Chelsea, he would just prefer to go to Arsenal.”
Arsenal are widely considered the frontrunners, with the Premier League champions preparing to make a formal approach to Aston Villa, according to a report in the Evening Standard.
Villa have publicly insisted they want to keep Rogers, but according to Ben Jacobs for Give Me Sport, the club will sell if the right price is offered.
That price could reach as high as £100m, according to a report from TEAMtalk, making this one of the most significant potential deals of the summer transfer window.
Phillips also noted that Chelsea’s pursuit carries a degree of weight behind the scenes, explaining: “Chelsea say that they will not sign any player without Alonso giving them the OK, so the fact they are still pursuing Rogers suggests that Alonso is on board with it as well.”
Despite the optimism surrounding Chelsea’s interest, sources are reportedly not as confident about this deal as they have been about other targets, with Phillips noting: “Sources are not describing the chances of Chelsea getting this deal done as positive like they have with Wharton, but they are saying that Chelsea are still currently there for Rogers and still trying to get him in.”
Phillips was also keen to stress that the situation between Arsenal and Rogers remains far from settled, confirming: “As of right now, nothing is advanced between Arsenal and Rogers. That could soon change, but Chelsea remain in the picture and a possible destination for Rogers.”
Chelsea’s broader situation complicates their chances, with the club facing criticism over recent transfer market decisions, frequent managerial changes, and their absence from European competition next season.
Arsenal, as reigning Premier League champions, present a more straightforward and attractive proposition for a player of Rogers’ ambition and quality.
Whether Chelsea can overcome that advantage and beat the Gunners to one of the most coveted signings of the summer remains very much to be seen.
