Arteta driving Arsenal to mega-money move with three-fold confidence building over £100m transfer

Arsenal believe they are leading the race to sign Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, with sources revealing to TEAMtalk the three ways in which Mikel Arteta is playing a pivotal role in convincing the England international that the Emirates is the right destination for the next stage of his career.

The Gunners have made Rogers their priority attacking target after their ambitious pursuit of Julian Alvarez stalled, with the Atletico Madrid forward focused on securing a move to Barcelona.

As a result, Arsenal have accelerated their plans for Rogers, and sources have confirmed that confidence is growing in North London that they can beat Chelsea and Manchester City to one of the Premier League’s most sought-after talents.

We have previously revealed that Rogers has been impressed by Arteta’s pitch to him over a potential move, with the Gunners boss making it clear he sees player as the ideal addition to strengthen the left side of their attack, a position the Spaniard has been eager to upgrade for some time.

Last season, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli shared responsibilities on the left flank, while 2025 arrival Eberechi Eze was also deployed there on occasions.

However, Arteta is looking for a player capable of making the position his own, and Arteta has made it clear that Rogers is now regarded as the outstanding candidate to fill that void.

Sources have told us that the Arsenal boss has been heavily involved in the pursuit, making it clear to both the club’s hierarchy and the player’s representatives just how highly he rates the 23-year-old.

Furthermore, Arsenal have already informed Rogers’ camp that they are prepared to make a huge financial commitment to secure his signature, while the star’s asking price is also likely to block their attempts to prise the star to north London.

However, before the Gunners can ramp up their quest to sign the star, they will be painfully aware of Unai Emery’s stance on the player’s sale…

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Unai Emery makes Villa’s Morgan Rogers position clear

TEAMtalk understands the Gunners are not afraid to pay in excess of £100million if that is what it takes to persuade Aston Villa to sell.

However, Villa have consistently maintained that they do not want to lose one of their prized assets and have previously made it clear they value Rogers at a club-record figure, while manager Unai Emery has strongly made clear his desire to keep the 23-year-old.

Speaking recently about reports linking Arsenal with a move, Emery is reported to have said: “Morgan is one of the most important players in our project.

“When a player performs at his level, it is normal that big clubs like Arsenal are watching. But for us, there is no surprise – we see his quality every day.

“He has improved massively, he is hungry, humble, and still has so much room to grow.

“My message to Morgan is simple: continue here, continue developing, and the future will come naturally. Aston Villa is ambitious, and we want our best players to help us achieve even bigger objectives. We are building something special, and Morgan is a key part of that vision.”

Despite that stance, Arsenal believe the deal is achievable and are continuing to build their case behind the scenes.

One of the biggest reasons for that optimism is the player’s response.

Sources indicate that Rogers has been hugely impressed by Arteta’s vision for his role at Arsenal and the personal effort the Spaniard has made to convince him that he should move to the Emirates.

The Gunners believe those conversations have given them a significant advantage.

Chelsea and Manchester City remain firmly in the race.

Chelsea remain huge admirers of Rogers and have also held positive discussions with his representatives, while City have explored the possibility of bringing the former academy graduate back to the Etihad.

However, we understand that Arsenal are receiving increasingly positive signals from the player’s camp.

While no final decision has been made, there is a growing belief within the Emirates that Rogers sees North London as the destination that best suits his ambitions.

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