It’s going to take Morgan Rogers a long time to forget everything she’s experienced in the last few weeks. On November 14, he made his debut for England as a reward for the extraordinary start to the season he is making at Aston Villa and, upon returning to Birmingham, he has renewed his contract until 2030.
“The commitment he has to Aston Villa is evident because he is from Birmingham. We are trying to promote him. He is a talented player and that is the most important thing,” Emery acknowledged a few weeks ago.
The commitment he has to Aston Villa is evident because he is from Birmingham
Unai Emery, Aston Villa coach
Trained in the Manchester City academy, he had to go down into the mud until he could imitate his friend Cole Palmer’s celebration in the Premier League. “He is one of my best friends, not only in football, but in life in general. But it is my celebration. Check the chronology,” Rogers himself confessed a few weeks ago.
He had several loan spells in the Championship (English Second Division) to Lincoln City, Bournemouth and Blackpool… until, finally, he was transferred for a million euros to Middlesbrough in the summer of 2023. Only six months later, and after guiding the ‘Boro’ to In the Carabao Cup semi-finals, Aston Villa put around 10 kilos on the table to make him a ‘villain’.
Morgan Rogers, driving the ball during a match against LiverpoolEFE
Everything seemed to indicate that it would become another element of the rotation. In fact, he did not play a single minute in the first three games since his signing. But, with 12 starts in 16 games last year and a full 15th so far this year, he has ended up settling into the eleven of a Unai Emery who has found in his figure the perfect element to act as a link in the double forward of his classic 4-4-2 with Ollie Watkins.
XI type of Aston Villa 2024-25
“Having the coach’s trust is the most important thing. Emery gave me the opportunity to develop, shine… and now I am settled in the eleven,” said Rogers while he was concentrating with England.
His mobility, intelligence and power to launch transitions fit like a glove in the aggressive, intense and vertical style of an Aston Villa where he has become a fundamental piece of the team. “It’s no surprise. When we started following him at Middlesbrough we saw some characteristics that suggested this development. He fits perfectly into our structure,” Emery commented a few months ago.
Morgan Rogers Radar 2024-25
Their numbers speak for themselves. And, in addition to having generated six goals this season, he is the player on the team who registers the highest number of progressive passes received (76), dribbles attempted (68), progressive drives (43) and deliveries to the penalty spot (19 ).
It wasn’t long ago that Jack Grealish was considered the Tommy Shelby of Birmingham. What we didn’t know is that, raised in the West Midlands itself, Aston Villa was going to find its new gangster in Morgan Rogers. “Home is where the heart is,” he noted on his social networks.
