Arsenal’s pursuit of Morgan Rogers has been given a major boost, with the Aston Villa star reportedly ‘open’ to a transfer this summer amid a growing need for his big money departure.
FootballTransfers exclusively revealed earlier this week that Rogers is a player whom Arsenal are monitoring for a summer transfer, although they will likely face strong competition from Chelsea among other sides.
Villa are desperate to keep hold of Rogers after his breakout campaign but TEAMTalk have claimed that, while the 22-year-old is happy to stay and not pushing for an exit, he would be ‘willing to listen’ if the right opportunity presented itself.
Despite raising more than €100m from sales in January, Villa are understood to need a major sale before the June PSR deadline to avoid any sanctions, having spent over €200m on players last summer.
Villa are more likely to seek exits for players such as Ollie Watkins or Emi Martinez but they are aware that the interest remains strong in Rogers and that bids are to be expected for the attacking midfielder this summer.
Villa set for another summer of trading under PSR rules
Villa are familiar with the balancing act of PSR, having conducted a number of deals in order to maximise their spending potential at the cost of regularly having to sell key players.
Last summer saw midfielder Douglas Luiz sold to Juventus in a deal that sent two of the Italian side’s players to Villa Park plus a €52m fee and it is likely a similar transfer will be on the cards this summer.
Watkins is expected to consider his future amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, with Villa also open to his exit, particularly if it means they can keep hold of Rogers.
However, speculation has intensified this week with the notion of Martinez being sold and replaced despite his standing as a team leader and key player, with the Argentine shotstopper already rumoured to have consulted super agent Jorge Mendes over his future.
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