Sports

Morgan Rogers joins 'biggest club in London' and this is how Chelsea can afford it

The Telegraph · Jul 21, 2026 21:27 · 6 min read

Morgan Rogers joins ‘biggest club in London’ and this is how Chelsea can afford it

Morgan Rogers said he is joining the “biggest club in London” after completing his £117m move from Aston Villa to Chelsea.

The transfer makes Rogers the most expensive British player in history and comes after Chelsea dramatically overtook London rivals Arsenal in the race for his signature.

“I am joining the biggest club in London,” said the England international who has signed a contract until 2033. “The way the club wants to go, and how it wants to move forward, it’s something that I want be a part of. I think it was just perfect for me.

“I am a free spirit, free-flowing footballer. I like to take risks, make things happen and change games. I just can’t wait to get going.”

The club-record deal for Rogers was agreed last weekend following direct talks between Behdad Eghbali, Chelsea’s co-owner, and his Villa counterpart Nassef Sawiris.

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso also played a significant role in the capture of Rogers, as he presented his tactical vision for the team and the 23-year-old’s role within it.

“I’ve had a few conversations with him and I think it’s important for me to be here that I need to understand what the manager’s like, how he is and how he wants to operate,” said Rogers of Alonso.

“It very much fits with the way I see the game, the way I want to play, and the way I want to be me, and be free and express myself. Him being a part of that was a massive factor in me being here.”

Rogers and Alonso — Rogers said Xabi Alonso played a big role in his decision-making regarding joining Chelsea - Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

The deal was negotiated by Sam Kohansal, the chief executive of Rogers’ agency Footwork.

Arsenal had been the frontrunners in the race for Rogers and were confident for much of the summer that the forward wanted to move to the Emirates Stadium.

But the Premier League champions had not reached an agreement with Villa before Chelsea’s decisive intervention, and they were then unwilling to match the £117m deal.

Mikel Arteta is understood to have been particularly keen to add Rogers to his attacking options, having tracked him for more than a year, but Arsenal refused to go so far beyond their own valuation of the player. They believed Rogers to be worth around £80m.

The fee means that Rogers has overtaken Elliot Anderson, his England team-mate, as the most expensive Englishman in history.

How Chelsea can afford record deal and the Palmer connection

Chelsea’s decision to spend a club-record fee on Morgan Rogers has shocked English football – and prompted pressing questions of the key decision-makers at Stamford Bridge.

Firstly, how can Chelsea afford this? Their latest financial accounts showed the biggest pre-tax loss in Premier League history, and next season they will not be playing in European competition.

Secondly, will the move to make Rogers the most expensive British player in history affect the future of Cole Palmer? Both men, after all, operate primarily as attacking midfielders.

And thirdly, what other knock-on effects could the deal have on Xabi Alonso’s squad? Who might have to leave as a consequence of the swoop for Rogers?

How can Chelsea afford Rogers?

Under their BlueCo owners, Chelsea have become the Premier League’s foremost player traders. In the 2025-26 season alone, they finalised more than 35 deals (transfers, loans and sales) for first-team players.

Much is made of the extraordinary amounts that Chelsea have invested in new signings since the BlueCo takeover in 2022, but it should also be noted that they have generated substantial funds through sales in the past few years.

Last season, for example, Chelsea raised almost £300m through sales – about the same amount they spent on new signings.

The sales push has continued this summer: left-back Marc Cucurella has joined Real Madrid for £52m, midfielder Andrey Santos has signed for Manchester United for £48m and forward Tyrique George has moved to Everton for £24m. That’s a combined total of £124m raised from three first-team players so far.

Crucially, the financial rules allow clubs to bank incoming transfer fees in full, while spreading outgoing fees over the length of a player’s contract (up to five years).

This means that, on the balance sheet, Chelsea’s £117m move for Rogers will cost them £23.4m this season. The sale of Cucurella to Real Madrid, by contrast, will represent an immediate addition of £52m in this year’s accounts.

Chelsea’s sales are, of course, offset by the outstanding instalments on transfer fees for the many players they have signed over the past few years. But the point stands that sales provide a sharp short-term boost, but incoming transfers are spread out over a longer period.

Given their failure to qualify for European football next season, there is a need for Chelsea to make more of these meaningful sales before the end of the window. The move for Rogers suggests they feel confident in doing so.

Who else could leave?

Chelsea’s absence from European competition in the upcoming season means that Alonso will not require as deep a squad as would usually be expected. Without midweek games in continental competition, there will be less need for rotation.

Many of the fringe players in Chelsea’s squad could therefore be shown the exit door in the coming weeks if the right buyers can be found.

Landon Emenalo and Manager Xabi Alonso of Chelsea — Alonso must find a way to squeeze Rogers and Palmer into his Chelsea team - Darren Walsh/Getty Images

Alejandro Garnacho is nearing a loan move to Aston Villa. They are expecting to receive even more for French full-back Malo Gusto, who is believed to be considering his future.

The likes of Trevoh Chalobah, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, Liam Delap and Filip Jorgensen could also all leave Stamford Bridge this summer. They will not all need to be replaced.

And then there is key midfielder Enzo Fernández, who has long been regarded as a possible departure this summer. He has made it clear that he wants to leave.

Chelsea have reportedly put a £120m price tag on Fernández. Such a fee is unlikely to be met but anything close to it will make a significant difference to their financial standing. For Fernández, who was shown a red card in Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain, his future remains uncertain.

Real Madrid have been heavily linked, but, in an unusual statement earlier this month, the Spanish giants publicly said they have “no intention” of signing the 25-year-old.

What does it mean for Palmer?

There is no suggestion that the arrival of Rogers could lead to the exit of Palmer, who has had a full summer break after failing to make England’s World Cup squad. As reported by Telegraph Sport, Palmer is considered one of the few “untouchable” players at Chelsea.

The idea of Rogers playing alongside Palmer is an extremely exciting one for Chelsea supporters, and it is certainly possible. During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso regularly deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation in which there was space for two attacking midfield players.

“I’ve known Cole since I was about 14, first in the England [youth] teams and then when we were both at Man City together,” said Rogers. “We’ve been speaking about this for a while; we always would love to have played together. So, for it to happen, we’re both excited.

“He’s non-stop ringing my phone, texting me, and I can’t wait. I think that’s probably the most special thing, playing with one of your best friends and being around him every day. It’s something I’m really excited about.”

Rogers and Palmer are both flexible forwards, capable of starting on the flanks or as central playmakers. If he chooses to use a 4-2-3-1 shape, Alonso could deploy Rogers in three attacking positions (right wing, No 10, left wing) and swap his position with Palmer during matches. In theory, the presence of Palmer and Rogers could give Chelsea one of the most adaptable attacks in European football.

Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer — Rogers and Palmer were team-mates during their days at Manchester City’s academy

Will the two players gel on the pitch? Well, they certainly have in the past. The pair were team-mates in Manchester City’s academy and have remained close off the field. Palmer’s signature shivering celebration was stolen (and then trademarked) from Rogers.

Asked in 2024 about Palmer’s use of his celebration, Rogers told TNT Sports: “Cheeky boy, isn’t he? He’s run with it. I’ll let him have it – he’s scored 40 goals or something stupid. I can’t really argue with that, can I?”

One can only assume that Palmer will not be taking legal action against his fellow England international should Rogers perform the celebration in a Chelsea shirt.

Rogers has previously said that Palmer is the “first person to text me” after matches, while Palmer has said: “We pretty much FaceTime each other every day. About life. He’s my mate. We don’t just speak about football, it’s about everything.”