Arsenal fans, you might want to sit down for this one.
Just when it looked like Mikel Arteta’s side had the inside track on Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, Tottenham have reportedly entered the race. And they’re not messing around.
According to Give Me Sport, Roberto De Zerbi’s men are prepared to compete directly with Arsenal for the 23-year-old England international. It’s the kind of North London rivalry twist that makes the summer transfer window so unpredictable.
Arsenal Were in the Driver’s Seat
Let’s rewind a bit. Arsenal have done the groundwork here.
Reports from FootballTransfers and TEAMtalk both indicated that the Gunners were close to agreeing personal terms with Rogers on a five-year contract. CaughtOffside went further, claiming one source described an agreement in principle as already being in place.
Rogers has been Arsenal’s top target for the left wing all summer. Fabrizio Romano confirmed on his YouTube channel that Arsenal have made significant progress with the player’s camp over the past month. The deal was supposed to kick into gear once England’s World Cup campaign ended.
Here’s where things get complicated:
- Aston Villa are demanding £130m, which would make Rogers the most expensive English player in history
- Arsenal are reportedly willing to open bidding at around £80-90m and stretch to £100m
- Villa signed Rogers from Middlesbrough for just €9.4m in January 2024
Rogers himself has been refreshingly humble about the price tag. When asked if he thought he was worth £130m, he told reporters: “I’m not sure I’m worth all of that! Of course it’s nice to hear that, but I don’t let outside noise dictate me.”
Spurs Muscle In With Serious Firepower
Now here’s the problem for Arsenal. Tottenham aren’t just window shopping this summer. They’re spending at a rate nobody saw coming.
Spurs have already splashed £237m on new signings. That includes:
- Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for up to £100m
- Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m
- Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52m
- Free transfers for Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Martin Dubravka
And according to BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, Tottenham still have around £250m available to spend. That’s a staggering number for a club that finished 17th last season.
De Zerbi has already reshaped the midfield and defence. The attack is next on his list. With Richarlison expected to leave and Mathys Tel not in the manager’s plans, Spurs need a forward who can make an immediate impact.
Rogers, with 14 goals and 12 assists last season plus a Europa League winners’ medal, fits that profile perfectly.
The fact Tottenham already beat Arsenal to Tonali’s signature earlier this window adds a layer of urgency here. Spurs insider Himothy Reports, cited by TEAMtalk, claims De Zerbi’s side are monitoring the Rogers situation closely and are willing to pay big money.
Why Arsenal Should Still Feel Confident
So should Gooners be worried? Maybe a little. But probably not too much.
There are a few reasons Arsenal remain the favorites. First, they’re the reigning Premier League champions. Second, they can offer Champions League football. Tottenham can’t offer either.
Why would Rogers leave a Europa League-winning Villa side for a club that barely avoided relegation two years running? That’s the question most observers are asking. One CaughtOffside commenter put it bluntly: going to the champions or the relegation battlers is “a no-brainer.”
Arsenal are also pursuing other targets simultaneously. Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle and Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge are both on Arteta’s radar. But Rogers remains the priority.
The real challenge isn’t Tottenham. It’s convincing Villa to drop their asking price. The gap between Arsenal’s likely offer of around £100m and Villa’s demand of £130m is substantial. Whether the clubs can meet somewhere in the middle, possibly around £116m according to Football365, will determine how this story ends.
One thing’s certain. With both North London clubs circling, Aston Villa hold all the cards. And Rogers isn’t going anywhere until England’s World Cup journey is over.
The clock is ticking for Arsenal. And Tottenham, for once, aren’t bluffing.
