Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers has responded to transfer speculations linking him with a potential £130 million move to Premier League champions Arsenal while preparing for international duty in North America.
The 23-year-old playmaker, who currently has 18 caps for England, has emerged as a high-priority summer target for the Gunners after a steep valuation increase driven by recent high-profile domestic transfers.
Reports from May indicated that Arsenal were serious contenders to sign the midfielder when Aston Villa valued him above £80 million, but subsequent market movements inflated that figure by £50 million within a month.
Aston Villa sources have reportedly used the recent £116 million transfer of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City as a benchmark to drive up the asking price for Rogers.
Rogers Responds to Valuation
When questioned about his reported market value, Rogers expressed humility regarding the substantial figures circulating in the media.
"I'm not sure I'm worth all of that!" said Rogers.
The midfielder emphasized that he remains unaffected by the ongoing speculation surrounding his club future during the international tournament.
"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.
I don't really listen to stuff like that," said Rogers.
The potential £130 million fee would make Rogers the most expensive English player in football history, surpassing the milestone set by Anderson and the £105 million Arsenal paid West Ham United for Declan Rice in 2023.
While Rogers has started one game against Panama and made substitute appearances against Croatia and Ghana, he expressed a strong desire to secure a primary role in Thomas Tuchel's national squad.
"Massively, of course I want to make an impact," said Rogers.
The playmaker is currently competing with Jude Bellingham for a spot in the starting lineup ahead of England's upcoming round-of-16 World Cup knockout match against co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City.
"I didn't come here to just be a part player when I want to have a main role.
Of course, we've got so many amazing players, and so many players are performing on a really high level at the moment, and it's about staying patient, waiting for my turn, for my chance to shine, however long in a game, and just to kind of really show up for the country.
It might not always be goals, might not always be assists, but even hard work, determination, and getting little details right.
I'm going to be ready to do that," said Rogers.
Any final decision on the transfer remains dependent on negotiations between Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris and Arsenal following the conclusion of England's tournament campaign.
