Why Aston Villa must sign £60m star after Garnacho

Over recent seasons, Aston Villa have operated with a swagger in the Premier League, which has seen them knocking on the door to be recognised as one of the so-called “big six”.

Unai Emery’s impact on the Villans simply can’t be understated – subsequently taking the club from mid-table obscurity to a consistent challenger for the division’s Champions League spots.

Qualification for Europe is becoming the norm around Villa Park, but the Spaniard will no doubt be asking the question – what’s needed to take the side to the next level?

Selling key players to help balance the books has no doubt made his task harder in the West Midlands, but the departure of Morgan Rogers could prove to be a devastating blow to his current ambitions.

How Rogers’ departure will impact Villa’s chances of success

It was confirmed over the weekend that Villa had accepted an English-record bid of £117m from fellow Premier League side Chelsea for the services of Rogers.

Emery’s men will bank a mesmerising £102m profit on their investment in the 23-year-old, as he only joined from Championship side Middlesbrough for just £15m back in February 2024.

Such funds will no doubt go a long way to helping the hierarchy balance the finances at Villa Park, but the sale will see the manager lose one of his key operators.

The England international ended the recent Premier League campaign on 16 combined goals and assists – with such a tally equating to 29% of the Villans’ total goals in the Premier League.

He also had a hand in eight of the club’s 31 efforts during the Europa League winning campaign, with a quarter of their strikes coming as a result of the 23-year-old’s star quality.

Only Ollie Watkins ended 2025/26 with more goal contributions for Emery’s men, but who’s to say his own efforts in the final third won’t be affected by his compatriot’s departure?

Rogers sat top of Villa’s chances created chart last term, which no doubt aids the argument that the club’s attacking department will struggle to emulate the success of the recent campaign.

How Villa can land the perfect Rogers successor this summer

Signing a like-for-like replacement for Rogers this summer will be near-impossible for Villa, with a player of his calibre costing a small fortune in the current market. Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho has been in talks to join but he’s not the only player who could arrive.

His sale will generate an increased sum of money for Emery and the recruitment team to work with, but it’s extremely unlikely that mega funds will be splashed on a replacement.

Indeed, Morgan Gibbs-White has also emerge as a leading option this summer.

It’s been reported by Football Insider that the Villans are lining up a move for the Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder after conducting work on a move behind the scenes.

The report states he’s a player who’s hugely admired by staff at Villa Park, and are willing to test the Reds’ resolve for the 26-year-old who nearly joined Tottenham Hotspur for £60m last summer.

Oliver Glasner’s men will no doubt be hugely reluctant to sell the Englishman this summer, but he’s a player who would be perfect for the Villans’ current squad.

Like Rogers, he’s capable of featuring in the number ten position or off the left-hand side – with his stats from last term highlighting why he’s the perfect player to replace the 23-year-old.

Gibbs-White ended the 2025/26 campaign on 15 goals and four assists – a tally which the £117m man was unable to better despite the success of Emery’s side.

He also achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate in England’s top-flight, which reaffirms his top-level ability to trouble the goalkeeper within attacking areas.

The Forest star registered over times more chances created per 90, whilst achieving a better cross success rate – which could be music to the ears of Watkins next season.

He’s been a consistent performer in England’s top-flight over recent seasons, subsequently registering at least 13 goal contributions in each of the last four seasons.

His subsequent form has seen the attacking midfielder receive huge praise in recent times, with journalist Tom Gayle previously labelling the Reds star as “outrageous.”

Replacing Rogers will be a huge task for the Villa hierarchy this summer, but a deal for Gibbs-White this window would hand Emery’s side a ready-made option to fill the void.

After the £60m saga with Spurs last summer, it’s unclear how much Glasner’s side could demand this window – that’s if they even want to do business after offloading Elliot Anderson for £116m.

However, if Villa are to break into the big six and reach the next level under the Spaniard’s guidance, a move for Gibbs-White should be a top priority this summer.