Why Morgan Rogers should be in no hurry to leave Aston Villa despite Arsenal transfer interest

Morgan Rogers isn’t short of confidence, but does he believe he can achieve everything he wants to at Aston Villa? Another season working under Unai Emery will undoubtedly make Rogers a better player. There’s little debate about that. Yet there’s also no denying that Arsenal are better placed to challenge for the Premier League title next season. It’s also fair to suggest Villa’s own title hopes were derailed by the injuries suffered by John McGinn , Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara in January, which significantly damaged their chances of keeping pace with Arsenal and Manchester City into the second half of the campaign. Competing for a league title in May is, however, a completely different ball game, even if Villa have consistently been among the Premier League’s top four sides since Emery walked through the door more than three-and-a-half years ago. Rogers is too intelligent to kick up a fuss and try to force a move to Arsenal, even if that is his preferred destination this summer and gives him a better opportunity to win the title next season. It’s also a moot conversation if the Gunners are unwilling to meet Villa’s valuation. Reports claim Villa have placed a £130 million price tag on Rogers, a valuation that dramatically reduces the number of potential suitors. Arsenal could, in theory, afford such a fee, but how highly they value Rogers will become clearer over the coming weeks. If Rogers remains at Villa, he would still be playing in Europe's premier club competition, the Champions League, while competing near the top of what is the strongest domestic league in the world. Balancing a Champions League campaign alongside the financial restrictions imposed by the Premier League's spending rules undoubtedly limits Villa’s ability to mount a sustained title challenge. But stranger things have happened. Rogers, a player with unwavering belief in his own ability, certainly wouldn't dismiss the possibility himself. Speaking before England’s match against Norway, the forward outlined his ambition to establish himself among Europe’s elite. “I look at players in the room, in the training ground, like Harry Kane, Jude, they’ve done it for five, six, seven, eight years consistently, and that’s the difference from a good player to a great player,” he said. “That next level, I want to take that step. I want to be in those conversations with the best players in England, I want to be in those conversations of the best players in Europe. “I’ve still got a long way to go and a lot of learning to do and a lot of development, but I think I’m on the right path of doing that.” Rogers’ camp may feel this is the right time to take the next step by joining Arsenal, but one thing is certain: his career would not be held back by spending at least another season at Villa under the manager who has been instrumental in his rapid rise since arriving from Middlesbrough two-and-a-half years ago.