Why Morgan Rogers chose Chelsea transfer over Arsenal move

Morgan Rogers has completed his £117m move from Aston Villa to Chelsea - and Arsenal fans are still scratching their heads, wondering what happened to his move to the Emirates.

It was the news that caused ripples around the footballing world at the weekend, and it seems Rogers was presented with three compelling reasons to choose Chelsea over Arsenal.

The rumoured move to the Gunners has been hitting the headlines for weeks with the move seemingly a foregone conclusion. Chelsea and Rogers, it seems, had other ideas.

The Athletic reported that the midfielder opted for the Blues because of the exciting project the club had sold to him. Additionally, Xabi Alonso's presence at Stamford Bridge proved another decisive factor in Chelsea's efforts to persuade him to overlook Arsenal.

It is also understood that the Blues have informed Rogers that they intend to utilise him on the left wing next season, which ultimately became the final reason for his impending move.

The 23-year-old is expected to go through his medical to become a Chelsea player today, and the fee surpasses the Blues' record signing fee, previously set by Enzo Fernandez's £107million signing in 2023.

It also tops the £116m that Manchester City paid Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson recently, making it a new British transfer record.

One thing for sure is that Villa will be planning what to do with the money and have already wrapped up the arrivals of Switzerland World Cup star Johan Manzambi and an announcement is imminent for the capture of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes.

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