Morgan Rogers seals British-record Chelsea switch from Aston Villa

England World Cup attacker Morgan Rogers has finalised a British-record transfer from Aston Villa to Premier League rivals Chelsea, the move completed yesterday.

Chelsea have not published an official fee. British media put the package at 117 million pounds (US$156.5 million), edging past the 116 million pounds (US$155 million) Manchester City paid Nottingham Forest for England midfielder Elliot Anderson earlier this month. The Premier League’s highest fee remains the 125 million pounds (US$167 million) Liverpool spent on Sweden striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle last year.

Rogers, 23 and widely rated among the division’s leading attackers, has put pen to a Chelsea deal running to 2033.

“I’m so excited,” he told the club’s website. “For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I’ve always admired since I was a kid. “I’m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we’ve got and where the club is heading. That’s why I’m here and I can’t wait to get started.”

New Blues boss Xabi Alonso has now landed three big summer arrivals, with wingbacks Marco Palestra and Geovany Quenda arriving before Rogers.

Rogers featured for England in last Wednesday’s World Cup defeat. Argentina overturned a 1-0 deficit after the 85th minute of the semi-final to win 2-1.

Across 85 Premier League matches for Villa he scored 21 times, and last term he helped the club into the top four and to Europa League glory. Villa signed him from Middlesbrough in February 2024 for a reported eight million pounds. He earned his first England cap in November 2024 and has collected 22 appearances for the Three Lions.