Arsenal‘s lack of technical ability during Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City was incredibly alarming.
As Mikel Merino made reference to just months after joining, the Gunners have conjured up a team of basketball players and while the quality has remained for large parts of the term, the lack of security on the ball was laid bare at Wembley in that 2-0 loss.
Indeed, in the second half, Arsenal failed to complete a progressive pass in the opposition’s half – one that advances the ball over 10 yards – until the 71st minute.
Why? Well, Kepa Arrizabalaga’s passing range was clearly not as strong as David Raya’s but they dearly missed both Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard through injury.
The Norwegian has missed a lot of the campaign due to his fitness while Eze is now set to miss an extended period of time with a groin problem.
So, how do Arsenal fix the technical quality of the squad, both in the short and long term? Looking ahead to the summer, it’s abundantly clear they need to address that issue in the transfer market.
Who could Arsenal sign this summer?
Arsenal’s squad is undoubtedly one of the best in European football but believe it or not, it could be better. On the left flank, Mikel Arteta is crying out for an improvement on Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
Antoine Semenyo would have been an option before he signed for Manchester City while Real Madrid’s Rodrygo likely would have been in their plans but for an ACL injury.
They have reportedly held an interest in Rafael Leao at Milan before while rumours linking them with a swoop for Nico Williams at Athletic Club seemingly never disappear.
However, it would not be a surprise if they looked towards the Premier League for their big-money capture this summer. Anthony Gordon is talked about, as is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Reports from Football Insider this week indicate that Arsenal are one of a number of teams to have taken an interest in the Englishman, who is also being courted by Manchester United and Chelsea.
United are said to be willing to pay a big fee to land the 23-year-old, with both the Red Devils and Liam Rosenior’s men looking to step up their interest in the forward this summer.
That said, if Arsenal or any other suitor are to land Rogers, it would take a ridiculous sum of money. The report notes that it would likely take a bid of £100m before any offer is accepted.
How Morgan Rogers compares to Eze and Odegaard
If Arsenal could pick any English player to sign from the Premier League then it’s likely Rogers would be near the very top of the list.
Why? Well, the former Manchester City man has developed into one of the most exciting young footballers in the entire division since he traded Middlesbrough for Villa.
It’s under Unai Emery’s wing that he’s become one of the most consistent players in the country, someone who stands a very realistic chance of starting ahead of Jude Bellingham for the Three Lions at the World Cup this summer.
While Rogers’ numbers have dwindled slightly in 2025/26, scoring ten goals and supplying seven assists in 41 outings, he was electric last season, eventually walking away with the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
He did so after bagging 14 goals and supplying 16 assists. To put those numbers into context, no Arsenal player managed more goal involvements in the whole of 2024/25, not even Bukayo Saka.
It’s a great deal more than Odegaard who delivered six goals and 12 assists. It’s also more than Eze managed in his final campaign with Crystal Palace, where he found the net on 14 occasions and picked up 11 assists in all competitions.
But, what truly sets Rogers apart from those already at Arsenal? Well, he’s certainly more of a goalscorer than Odegaard and he’s got the Eze gene of being able to craft something out of nothing. He shoots at goal regularly and can dart past a player with great skill. He’s a maverick and Arteta needs a lot more of that.
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Rogers vs Eze: Premier League stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
Rogers (24/25) |
Eze (25/26) |
|
Shots |
1.0 |
1.8 |
|
Shot accuracy |
59% |
53% |
|
Goals |
0.3 |
0.4 |
|
Conversion rate |
23.53% |
20% |
|
Chances created |
1.5 |
0.8 |
|
Pass accuracy |
75% |
84% |
|
Take-ons completed |
1.5 |
0.8 |
|
Duels won |
5.0 |
4.7 |
Comparing Rogers’ stunning season with that of Eze in an Arsenal shirt does see some parallels emerge. They have found the net with a similar regularity per 90 minutes but it’s in the chance creation and take-on department where the Villa superstar ranks more impressively.
Arsenal tried to invest in more players who could progress the play quickly in the shape of Eze and Madueke last summer but Rogers would certainly be the pick of the bunch.
At the age of just 23 too, this is a player with the rest of his career ahead of him. He might not be worth quite as much as a £100m price tag but he’s going to be one of the best players in the league for a number of years.
Another boon is his ability to play on the flanks, much like Eze. Rogers could quite easily play behind Viktor Gyokeres but there’s a real possibility that he could replace Martinelli or Trossard on the left side of the attack as well.
Arsenal have dipped their toes into the Premier League market on several occasions since Arteta joined the club and very rarely has it gone wrong. David Raya and Declan Rice, in particular, are evidence of that. Rogers would be a brilliant pick up.
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