New Delhi:Chelsea have officially announced the signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa in a £117million (€137m, $157m) deal. The 23-year-old forward
has signed a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge with the option of a further 12 months. Rogers will join the Chelsea squad after their pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, with the matches taking place from July 28 to August 9.
The club has paid the record fee to sign Rogers, surpassing the £106m they paid to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in 2023. Rogers also becomes the most expensive British player ever, surpassing the fee (116m) that Manchester City paid to Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson this summer.
He chose Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/V6NrGsuZH9
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 21, 2026
Arsenal were also interested in signing Rogers, but the forward is said to be impressed with Chelsea’s new manager Xabi Alonso and the club’s project. He joined Aston Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 and made 125 appearances for the club.
Rogers scored 14 goals and also provided 12 assists in 55 matches across all competitions last season, helping Unai Emery’s side to qualify for the Champions League and win the Europa League.
‘For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London’
After completing the signing, Rogers said he’s excited to join Chelsea and that for him it is the biggest club in London. The forward also cited the arrival of Alonso at the club as one of the reasons behind his decision.
“I’m so excited. For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I’ve always admired since I was a kid. I’m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we’ve got and where the club is heading. That’s why I’m here and I can’t wait to get started,” Rogers said on the club’s website.
He was on England duty at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he notably started in their semifinal defeat against Argentina.
