By Joseph Armstrong-Gardner
20 July, 2026
Image Credit: Getty Images
Morgan Rogers comes in from Aston Villa as the most expensive British signing of all time.
Rogers signed a six-year contract with an option for a further year after returning from the U.S.A for the World Cup with England.
“I’m joining the biggest club in London.” he said in his announcement video.
“The way the club wants to go and how it wants to move forward is something I want to be a part of. I think it was just perfect for me. I just can’t wait to get going.”
In April in his last interview, Eghbali accepted Chelsea needed “to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take [it] to the next level, to be consistent over time,” adding: “You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes.”
Image Credit: Getty Images
Where will Rogers fit in at Chelsea?
Rogers’ friendship with his new club-mate Palmer goes back a long way – and actually inspired the latter’s famous ‘cold’ goal celebration.
Palmer first performed it in December 2023 after scoring two goals in a 3-2 win at Luton.
He has since taken ownership of the celebration, registering a trademark for it with the UK Intellectual Property Office.
However, it was first meant as a tribute to Rogers as he performed the celebration after a goal for Middlesbrough against West Brom.
It was after moving from his local club West Brom to Manchester City that Rogers first struck up a friendship with Palmer. Both were 16 and soon starred in attack for City’s FA Youth Cup-winning under-18 side in 2020.
Palmer is not the only familiar face Rogers will encounter at Stamford Bridge. He already knows Levi Colwill and Reece James through the England set-up, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Jamie Gittens, Romeo Lavia and Liam Delap all came through City’s academy system.
Since Cole Palmer is a similar type of player to Morgan Rogers, the main debate stems from whether both will play together given their versatility is immense or if they will alternate that number 10 role.
One source suggests Rogers will primarily play on the left since he has done so for Aston Villa in the past, and that would leave Palmer to roam in that 10 position and the likes of Estavao, Pedro Neto, and Bynoe-Gittens to be deployed on the right side of the pitch.
Rogers contributed 14 goals and 12 assists in 55 appearances last season and would add further firepower.