Former Lincoln City loanee Morgan Rogers is reportedly set to become the most expensive British footballer of all time after Chelsea reached a verbal agreement with Aston Villa over a £117 million transfer.
The 23-year-old is understood to have agreed personal terms on a six-year contract, with the option of another 12 months, and is scheduled to undergo a medical on Monday. The deal is still being finalised, but Rogers is said to favour a move to Chelsea despite interest from Arsenal.
Should the transfer be completed at the reported figure, Rogers would move ahead of Elliot Anderson as the most expensive British player. Manchester City agreed a £116 million deal with Nottingham Forest for Anderson earlier this summer, while Rogers would also become Chelsea’s record signing.
It represents another extraordinary step in the career of a player who was still waiting to score his first senior goal when he arrived at Sincil Bank in January 2021.
Rogers joined Lincoln City on loan from Manchester City and made his debut shortly afterwards against Peterborough United. His first professional goal followed on January 26, when he scored the winner in a one-goal victory away to Portsmouth.
Operating across the front line, Rogers quickly became a regular in Michael Appleton’s side. He scored three times in seven appearances during March and was named the EFL Young Player of the Month as the Imps pushed for promotion from League One.
He was undoubtedly an outstanding loan signing, although there were still signs of the rawness expected from an 18-year-old playing his first sustained run of senior football. Rogers and fellow loanee Brennan Johnson gave Lincoln two immensely talented young attackers, but City did not always find a way to get the best from both players at the same time.
Rogers also went 15 matches without scoring after the early part of March, meaning his Lincoln legacy is perhaps remembered more fondly than his final numbers might suggest. Even so, six goals from 28 appearances was an impressive return from a teenager experiencing his first full season in the professional game.
His contribution helped the Imps reach the League One play-off final, where they were beaten by Blackpool at Wembley. Rogers subsequently had loan spells with Bournemouth and Blackpool before leaving Manchester City permanently for Middlesbrough in 2023.
A strong first half of the 2023/24 campaign persuaded Aston Villa to sign him for an initial £7 million, with a further £8 million potentially due through add-ons. Middlesbrough also negotiated a 20 per cent sell-on clause as part of the agreement and are set to receive a substantial windfall if the Chelsea transfer is completed.
Rogers has since developed into one of the Premier League’s leading attacking midfielders. He has reportedly recorded 31 goals and 29 assists across 125 appearances for Villa, including 14 goals and 12 assists during the 2025/26 season.
That campaign saw Villa qualify for the Champions League and win the Europa League, while Rogers has also become an established member of the England squad. He featured in all six of England’s matches at the World Cup and supplied the cross from which Anthony Gordon scored during the semi-final defeat against Argentina.
There remains a small but visible link between Rogers and his time with Lincoln. He first wore the number 27 shirt during his loan at Sincil Bank and has retained it during the subsequent stages of his career, explaining that the positive experience he enjoyed with the Imps helped the number stick. Malo Gusto currently wears that number for Chelsea, although he is expected to exit the club.
Five-and-a-half years after making his professional breakthrough at Sincil Bank, Rogers now appears set to become the most expensive British footballer in history.
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