Chelsea announced Rogers' £117million transfer from Aston Villa on Monday, in a deal that saw the England international snatched away from Arsenal, who had been expected to sign him before being gazumped by their London rivals. After completing his move, Rogers said he was joining the "biggest club in London."
Speaking on Sports Uncensored, Terry could not resist a dig at Rogers' choice of destination, while also poking fun at Chelsea's recent trophy history compared to their neighbours.
"He's obviously joined the club that's got the potential of winning the Champions League and has history of winning the Champions League," Terry said. "Hence he's gone for us rather than the red side of London."
Terry did, however, acknowledge that the financial package on offer likely played a decisive role in the forward's thinking.
"To be honest, if you're him, you'd have probably have gone [to] Arsenal so the numbers must have been pretty big."
Despite his teasing, the Chelsea legend made clear he rates Rogers highly and is looking forward to seeing him make an impact at Stamford Bridge.
"I'm excited to have him. I think he's a good player. I think he's going to give us better than what we've got at the moment. I think he's a good addition to the squad and I'm actually excited to see him."
Rogers' move continues a busy summer of business at Stamford Bridge, with the club also completing a string of other high-profile deals as new manager Xabi Alonso looks to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts. The forward's switch from Villa Park represents one of the marquee transfers of the window in England, and Terry's comments reflect the broader surprise felt across the game at Arsenal missing out on a player many had expected to end up at the Emirates.
Rogers emerged as one of the standout performers in the Premier League last season, playing a central role in Aston Villa's push for European qualification and establishing himself as a regular for England along the way. His combination of pace, direct running and end product made him one of the most sought-after attacking players on the market this summer, with Arsenal long considered the frontrunners before Chelsea's late intervention turned the race on its head.
For Aston Villa, the sale represents a significant financial boost, with the club having already been active in reshaping their own squad this summer following a strong campaign under Unai Emery. The fee received for Rogers is expected to give Villa considerable room to reinvest elsewhere in the squad as they look to build on last season's progress.
Terry's remarks, delivered with his trademark mix of humour and rivalry, capture the sense of triumph felt among Chelsea supporters at having won the race for one of the summer's most coveted signings, even if the scale of the financial package required has raised eyebrows across the division.