Chelsea are reportedly interested in doing more business with Aston Villa during the summer transfer window.
In the 2024 equivalent, the two clubs put together a deal involving Ian Maatsen and Omari Kellyman that helped them comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules.
While Villa were getting a player that had recently helped Borussia Dortmund reach the Champions League final, Chelsea were signing an academy graduate who had barely represented the first team and has seen injuries prevent him from making his senior Chelsea debut.
Nevertheless, more transactions in the same vein are expected this summer, particularly before the final accounting date of June 30, yet it appears that Chelsea, on this occasion, will target one of Villa's key men.
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Chelsea planning ambitious bid?
As per The Independent, Morgan Rogers is a player that Chelsea officials could target during the off-season.
Such is the importance of Rogers to Unai Emery that the England international has made 45 starts in the Premier League and Champions League during 2024-25.
A total of 12 goals and 10 assists have been contributed during those games, the current expectation being that the 22-year-old will remain an important figure for Villa.
However, it is claimed that Villa would have to give serious consideration to a sale if they are presented with an opportunity to make a huge profit on Rogers.
When arriving from Middlesbrough in February 2024, Rogers was signed in a deal that will reach a maximum of £15m if all add-ons are activated.
Realistically-speaking, any interested clubs would have to pay three times that figure as a bare minimum if they wish to sign Rogers over the coming months.
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What will Emery's stance be?
Even with Villa having reached the Champions League quarter-finals and sold Jhon Duran for over £60m at the midway point of the season, the general consensus is that the West Midlands outfit remain wary of their limitations on the PSR front.
If Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford are to remain at the club after their loan spells end, Villa would need to shell out in the region of £55m for the pair.
That said, it is questionable whether Emery would choose to sign them if it meant having to sell Rogers, there being an argument that he is now Villa's most prized asset.
Should Villa have to keep battling with PSR constraints in the long term, Emery's patience with the matter may be questioned given that it is raising the difficulty of turning the club into genuine Premier League title contenders.
Darren Plant
