Chelsea sign Morgan Rogers for British record £117 million

Chelsea have completed the signing of England forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record fee of 117 million pounds, with manager Xabi Alonso playing a pivotal role in convincing the player to join. The club confirmed the transfer on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, with Rogers signing a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

The 23-year-old's move surpasses the previous British transfer record and also becomes Chelsea's most expensive signing, exceeding the 115 million pounds paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023. In his first comments as a Chelsea player, Rogers emphasized that detailed conversations with new manager Alonso were central to his decision, overriding interest from other clubs including Arsenal.

"I've had a few conversations with him," Rogers said via the club's website. "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. 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 registered 56 goal involvements during his time at Aston Villa...