Credit: Bein Sport/Imago

Cameron Smith

Mon 1 June 2026 9:30, UK

Morgan Rogers has already been heavily linked with Arsenal, with the Aston Villa man in high demand ahead of the summer.

Since joining from Middlesbrough in 2024, the attacking midfielder has continued to move through the gears under Unai Emery.

As a result, he has earned regular call-ups to the England squad and has often proved talismanic for Villa ahead of the World Cup.

Consequently, the 23-year-old is now viewed as a target for clubs at the very top of the Premier League and across Europe.

Even so, the best option for Rogers may well be to stay put at Villa Park, with Richard Keys making that clear in his message to the versatile attacker.

Richard Keys makes Morgan Rogers demand amid transfer talk

Blessed with a magical right foot, impressive technical ability and the physical presence to go with it, Halesowen-born Rogers has grown into a genuine Premier League standout.

Although his form has fluctuated at times this season, he has remained a key component of Emery’s approach.

In fact, the final-day victory over Manchester City was the only league game in which he failed to feature.

Reacting to a story from Mirror Sport outlining Arsenal’s interest in Rogers, Keys made it very clear that his best option lies away from the Emirates.

“I know Villa can be ‘resolute’ as well, but if I’m Morgan Rogers, I’m not going anywhere near Arsenal,” he said in a post on X.

“He should ask Eze how he feels about his move,” he added, after the midfielder made the move from Crystal Palace last summer, and has been limited to just 22 league starts.

I know Villa can be ‘resolute’ as well but if I’m Morgan Rogers I’m not going anywhere near Arsenal. He should ask Eze how he feels about his move. I guess if he did sign he could do that sitting next to him on the bench. Football is to be enjoyed not endured pic.twitter.com/PhBzcTTddF

— Richard Keys (@richardajkeys) June 1, 2026

“I guess if he did sign, he could do that sitting next to him on the bench. Football is to be enjoyed, not endured.”

Reports across the last week suggest that a move could be on the cards this summer, though Rogers is not agitating to leave, while the Villans value the 23-year-old at around £80million.

Morgan Rogers has a difficult decision to make as Aston Villa legacy hangs in the balance

With Villa back in the Champions League and fresh from a potentially transformative Europa League win, Villa Park is now an elite stage, and Rogers is emerging as one of the leading figures.

The 23-year-old has become a genuine talisman for the Villans, and the question is why you would want to give that up, with his England future also potentially on the line if he is not starting week in, week out.

Of course, Arsenal may offer a fast track to success, but what may that be worth without the same iconic status he would achieve as a result of the same outcome with the Midlanders?

Naturally, Villa are not there yet, but the signs all point to the club not resting on its laurels.

If he were to stay, Rogers would be well on his way to cementing himself as an icon, and that may not come to fruition if he moves elsewhere, with no guarantee of game time.