Now before Arsenal fans start to grumble about the loss of yet another transfer target to a Premier League rival allow me to offer an opinion.
Let’s cut to the chase, Morgan Rogers is a decent player but for me the Aston Villa man drifts in and out of too many games.
I don’t even notice him on occasion and his contributions are reasonable but not outstanding.
Yet he was seen as Villa’s most influential player with 14 goals and 12 assists in a campaign where they finished 4th position in the Prem and claimed the Europa league title.
One of my podcasting team has a friend who is a devoted Villa fan and his assessment was that Rogers would shine for three matches and then disappear for ten, which is hardly a stunning endorsement .
Was he really the prime transfer target ?
I was never truly on board with the chase and I ignored the media narrative that Rogers was our main target and that he had stated that Arsenal was his preferred destination.
As we know, the destination these days is often secondary to the wages and it’s doubtful that Rogers would have arrived with a weekly wage that eclipsed those of more established players.
Would you pay him more than Declan Rice ? Of course not. Rice has proven his worth over the last three seasons, no more so than in our title winning year.
Is any player worth £100 million ? –
There are exceptions, Declan Rice was one but it’s fair to say that his potential and abilities were more obvious than Rogers.
Looking back and knowing what we know now, the ‘Rice Price’ was cheap but in general the £100m plus price tag is now applied to anyone who has a half decent season and has two legs.
That type of fee is justified if associated with a player who is consistently performing at an elite level.
A player with exceptional technically ability, who displays character and leadership or one that is capable of dominating or changing games single-handedly.
Morgan Rogers may become that player eventually but not at this moment.
Arsenal have multiple targets and while Rogers was high on the list he was never the only option.
Yes, we lost out on Jeremy Monga and now Rogers but our judgement has been sound on the whole during the transfer window.
Remember the Mykhailo Mudryk saga, he was 100% destined for the Emirates but Chequebook Chelsea stepped in at the last minute to snap up his services.
He hasn’t played since November 2024 due to his ban for substance abuse.
I’m not implying it’s the same scenario but Chelsea are happy to scoop up players for fat fees and long contracts.
Let’s just remind ourselves Arsenal’s entire interchangeable back five cost between £123m – £157.5m
Arsenal are a transfer savvy outfit, selecting personnel that not only fit the technical requirements but also the tight knit family group environment.
Don’t be too concerned, Andrea Berta is busy spinning plates, looking for quality at the right price but not at any price.
I’m inclined to agree with him.
Share this article
