Aston Villa have been on a rollercoaster journey over the last couple of years, and it’s one that was once unimaginable before the arrival of manager Unai Emery.
The Spaniard has transformed the Villans into a club who are constantly challenging for a place in the Premier League’s top-five and are more than capable of beating the division’s best.
The Europa League triumph at the end of May is the latest step in the club’s journey to being one of Europe’s elite – one which shows no signs of slowing down.
However, if they are to establish themselves as a serious contender in European football and in England’s top-flight, they may have to do it without one key member of the squad.
Why losing Rogers would be a devastating blow for Villa
For his part in Villa’s European triumph and success in the Premier League last term, Morgan Rogers deserves a whole heap of credit for his efforts on the field.
The Englishman racked up 25 combined goals and assists across all competitions for Emery’s men – with only striker Ollie Watkins registering a higher tally.
The 23-year-old netted a goal and laid on an assist during the European final against Freiburg and undoubtedly played a key role in the club’s ability to reach such a stage.
However, his good form hasn’t gone unnoticed in recent months, with Liverpool and Arsenal both said to be monitoring his progress and considering a move this summer.
|
Morgan Rogers – career by season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2022/23 |
1 |
1 |
|
2023/24 |
10 |
9 |
|
2024/25 |
14 |
16 |
|
2025/26 |
14 |
12 |
Rogers himself has given no indications as to where he sees his future beyond the summer, but the Villa hierarchy appear to be bracing themselves for potential offers.
It’s been reported that the Villans have slapped a £130m price tag on the attacker’s head – a deal which would make him the most expensive Englishman of all-time.
The player who would be the perfect Rogers replacement for Villa
Regardless of whether or not Villa plan to keep Rogers this summer, if an offer matches their asking price, the player would likely depart and leave a huge hole in Emery’s attack.
As a result, the hierarchy have already started planning for life without the 23-year-old and have identified numerous possibilities in the transfer market.
One player who’s been identified as a possible transfer target for the Villans is Sevilla winger Rubén Vargas, who’s currently representing Switzerland at the ongoing World Cup.
It’s been reported by Spanish outlet Orgullo Biri that Emery’s side have already made concrete enquiries to the LaLiga side over a move for the 27-year-old.
The report also states that the player himself would be open to a move to the Premier League this window and could be available for a minimal fee of just £15m.
Whilst many supporters may be unaware of the Swiss international’s talents, he’s a player who can easily make the move to the West Midlands and be a hit with the fanbase.
Throughout 2025/26, he managed to match or better numerous key stats produced by Rogers – which could make him the perfect replacement should the Englishman depart this window.
Vargas completed an impressive tally of 1.4 successful crosses per 90 – a figure which is over three times higher than that of the current Villa first-team star.
The aforementioned figure highlights his ability to find teammates with ease in attacking areas – which could be music to the ears of centre-forward Watkins.
The Sevilla star also managed to achieve the same dribble success rate as the Englishman, which could hand Emery yet another impressive forward option to his ranks.
Despite his small frame, Vargas has also gained a reputation for his aerial ability, subsequently winning 56% of the aerial duels he entered in LaLiga last campaign.
Such a number places him in the top 10% of all attackers in Europe, with his ability in the air handing the Villa manager a new dimension to his star-studded attack.
£15m for a player of Vargas’ quality would be a phenomenal piece of business and one that could inject added quality to the club’s attack ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Losing Rogers would be a bitter blow for everyone connected with the club, but a move for the Swiss international could offer an immediate fix to any problem that arises in the months ahead.
