Rogers has just completed his best season in professional football. He scored 10 goals and contributed six assists in 37 Premier League appearances, played a central role in Villa's Europa League triumph, and scored in the final. UEFA named him Player of the Tournament.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is described as a significant admirer, and Rogers himself is said to be open to a move to the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG have also been credited with interest, though Arsenal are considered the most advanced.
Villa's position is firm. Unai Emery, who has just secured his fifth Europa League title as a manager and is preparing for a second successive Champions League season, will have greater influence over recruitment than at any previous point in his tenure. He does not want to sell Rogers, reports the Telegraph.
Rogers has five years left on his current contract. Villa are in a strong negotiating position and have no financial pressure to sell. The complication in any deal is the 20 per cent sell-on clause held by Middlesbrough, from whom Villa signed Rogers for an initial £8m in January 2024. A £100m sale would trigger a £20m payment to Boro — a factor Villa must account for in any price they set.
The sell-on clause is not the only historical quirk. Manchester City, who sold Rogers to Middlesbrough for £1.5m in 2023, also negotiated a sell-on fee as part of that deal, meaning multiple clubs stand to benefit from any transfer.
Whether Emery's resistance holds or whether a record-breaking offer forces a reconsideration will be the defining question of Villa's summer.