Chelsea snapping up Morgan Rogers from under Arsenal‘s nose this summer says everything about the club’s ambition. Arsenal, widely regarded as Premier League title favourites for the coming campaign, had invested significant time into signing the Aston Villa attacker, who pundit Robbie Mustoe has called “one of the best” attacking midfielders in the world. Rogers chose Chelsea, and he will play at Stamford Bridge next season after the Blues agreed a £117m fee with Villa.
How Alonso Plans to Use Rogers
Rogers is one of the most dynamic attackers in the Premier League. Direct, relentless in front of goal, and a central figure in Unai Emery’s transformation of Villa, he arrived at Villa Park for just £8.5m before developing into a £117m asset. That trajectory alone signals the ceiling has not yet been reached.
He operates effectively as an attacking midfielder or as a left-channel runner. He even featured on the right for England this summer, showing precise positioning to set up Anthony Gordon for the opener in the semi-final defeat against Argentina. Alonso’s pitch to Rogers centred on deploying him primarily down the left, pairing him with Cole Palmer through the middle. With Alejandro Garnacho being moved on, the left slot is his.
Chelsea Are Targeting Adam Wharton
The squad is still short, particularly if Enzo Fernandez exits this summer. Alonso needs a deep-lying playmaker capable of launching attacking transitions. Chelsea pushed for Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka, but Sunderland have held firm over the 33-year-old and those talks have stalled.
Club insider Simon Phillips has revealed that fresh talks have taken place over Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton. The Eagles have valued him at £100m, in line with the current midfield market. Liverpool are also monitoring the situation.
Wharton’s absence from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad this summer was a genuine oversight. Analyst Ben Mattinson described him as a “cheat code” in possession, and the numbers back that up: Wharton ranked inside the top 5% of Premier League midfielders last season for big chances created per 90. His ball-playing ability is measured and precise.
Alongside Moises Caicedo’s defensive intensity, Wharton would give Chelsea a fluid, structured midfield base. Palmer would benefit from sharp distribution centrally, while Rogers could attack the wide areas with confidence knowing the midfield behind him is under control. Ball-carrying at the level Rogers operates demands exactly that kind of service from midfield, and Wharton delivers it.
He has also won the FA Cup and the Conference League under Oliver Glasner at Selhurst Park. The winning habit is already there.
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Chelsea dropped off in the Premier League last season, but the combination of Rogers, Palmer, and a playmaker of Wharton’s quality in the engine room gives Alonso a genuine foundation to build from. Follow TipsGG for full coverage as this transfer situation develops.