Rogers wants Arsenal. That much is clear. The Gunners want him too. The feeling is well and truly mutual.
However, the biggest obstacle in this sage is undoubtedly Aston Villa. Having seen Elliot Anderson join Manchester City for an earth-shattering £116m fee, they are demanding £130m for Rogers.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that it is unlikely Andrea Berta and Co will pay that much to prise him away from the Midlands. A lower fee will have to be negotiated.
Arsenal exploring move to sign £34m Rogers alternative
Last week, Rogers was asked about that £130m price tag by reporters in England's World Cup camp. The message was simple; I'm not worth that much.
"I'm not sure I'm worth all of that! Of course it's nice to hear that from people, but I don't let outside noise dictate me. I'm just going to keep focused, keep being me, keep being the person that got me here and keep trying to improve." - Morgan Rogers.
As a result, there could be something of a stand off if Villa block a reasonable bid from Arsenal in the forthcoming weeks.
The important thing is that Berta has a number of alternatives lined up. Bradley Barcola is one of them but the PSG winger will not be cheap either, particularly after an impressive World Cup with France.
Another alternative for the north Londoners could be Mexico's Gilberto Mora, the youngest player to feature at the ongoing tournament in North America.
Indeed, according to Mexican outlet Azteca Puebla, both Arsenal and Liverpool have registered their interest in signing the 17-year-old from Tijuana in his homeland.
In fact, while the Anfield side may well be interested, it is the Premier League champions who have the early lead in the race to secure the teenager's signature.
That's because they have established contact with Tijuana and submitted an offer worth $25m (£19m). That offer will likely be rejected with previous claims outlining how it could take £34m to prise him away from Mexico.
Why Mora could become Arsenal's very own Morgan Rogers
£130m would be a simply obscene sum of money to pay for Rogers this summer.
Yes, he has proven Premier League-experience. Yes he's a regular scorer and creator of goals but he is not the genuine elite wide player that Arsenal are arguably craving.
An attacking midfielder by trade, he would be a fantastic pick up, make no mistake about it. He won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for 2024/25 and has scored 14 goals in consecutive seasons for Villa. If they can negotiate the price below £100m, it feels like a move worth making.
Rogers - career by season
Season
Goals
Assists
|
2022/23
|
1
|
1
|
|
2023/24
|
10
|
9
|
|
2024/25
|
14
|
16
|
|
2025/26
|
14
|
12
|
If they cannot get it over the line, Mora is a perfect fallback. He is one of the most exciting young players in the world right now and it only feels inevitable that he will sign for one of the top clubs in Europe in the forthcoming months.
So, why is he so highly rated? Well, you don't play 12 games for your country before you're even 18 without being a little bit special.
In the words of UEFA A licence coach John Walker, he is "similar" to the great Spanish playmaker Andres Iniesta while, more strikingly for Arsenal supporters, he is also held in high regard by the legendary Thierry Henry.
Speaking during the World Cup, he said of Mora: "There he is, Mora. Let’s not forget this kid playing in midfield. At times controlling the game, understanding that sometimes he had to slow it down and not go to the counterattack so soon, getting fouls."
This is player with an elite technical profile. Como scout Ben Mattinson hails the teenager as "a little genius with the highest level of ball mastery to manoeuvre out tight spaces."
It is evident that this young kid is going to blossom into one of the world's best attacking midfielders. Like Rogers, however, he's not just capable of making an impact in that role. He's also played plenty of football out on the left.
Last term, Mora played 20 games for Tijuana, scoring six goals. Eight of those outings came as a midfielder, a further seven came on the left flank and three came as a striker.
From a physical point of view, Rogers is more powerful. The slender and smaller Mora is not as aggressive in that regard but when it comes to their mastery of carrying and controlling possession, they are both exceptional.
At the World Cup, he ranks among the finest 11% of positionally similar players for shots per 90 minutes and touches in the opposition box, as well as ranking among the best 7% for chances created. At 17, that is stunning.
Like Rogers, he's equal parts creative, equal parts a goalscorer. If Arsenal could get him for a price as cheap as is being reported, it would be a sensational piece of business.
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