How much?! Arsenal learn Morgan Rogers asking price as Premier League title winners mull over nine-figure transfer raid on Aston Villa for England international

Arsenal have been warned that it could cost as much as £100 million ($132m) to sign Rogers from Aston Villa this summer. The 23-year-old has emerged as a top target for the Gunners, according to football.london, with Arteta eager to bolster his tactical options as the club looks to defend its Premier League crown and respond to recent Champions League heartbreak.

Andrea Berta has been tasked with managing the club's recruitment strategy, and he now knows exactly what it will take to bring the England international to Emirates Stadium. With Rogers contracted to Villa until June 2031, the Midlands club is under no pressure to sell their prized asset, forcing Arsenal to consider whether they need to offload big-name stars to fund such an ambitious swoop.

Former Villa defender Alan Hutton believes that Unai Emery’s side should demand a premium for a player who has become the "beating heart" of their team. Rogers was instrumental last season as Villa pushed the eventual champions for much of the campaign, and Hutton insists that the club should not settle for anything less than a record-breaking fee.

"I mean, if Villa were to sell, the figure I would go with is £100m," Hutton said in an interview with PariuriX. "For one, I don't want to sell him. I mean, he's a massive asset for them. He's a massive part of what they do. He's under contract, and Emery loves him. He can play in a number of positions, and for me, he's the link from the midfield to the attack."

Arteta is reportedly a huge admirer of Rogers' ability to progress the ball through the lines, a quality that set him apart during Villa's most successful periods last term. The midfielder's versatility allows him to operate in a traditional number 10 role or drift in from the left flank, providing the kind of creative spark that Arsenal feel could take them to the next level.

Hutton expanded on the player's importance, stating: "When you look at Tielemans, Kamara and these kinds of guys who bring the ball forward from defence and give it to the likes of Morgan Rogers, I always feel you need someone who can dribble. You need a ball carrier. Somebody that can get you up the pitch, whether he plays in a 10 or from the left. He's always involved in everything that's good, and he's the guy that brings it all together for me."

While a £100m valuation may seem steep, it reflects the current state of the transfer market for top-tier English talent. With Villa continuing to grow under Emery, the club is determined to keep hold of their best players unless an undeniable offer is placed on the table, especially given Rogers' trajectory toward becoming a permanent fixture in the England setup.

Addressing the eye-watering cost, Hutton added: "People might say that £100million is a lot of money, and it is, but some of the, the kind of values that are getting bandied about at this moment in time is crazy. So I just feel for one of your top assets to be leaving when you don't want them to leave, it needs to be on a massive amount because I believe under Unai Emery and where he's taking this squad, what he's trying to do and build, they're only going to get better in my opinion. Arsenal are a huge team that have won the league, and I do get the draw. Arteta, I think, is a fantastic manager as well, so I can see why his head might be turned for that reason, but it would have to be a huge figure to get him out of there."

Click here to read article