Aston Villa have not had a good start to the season, but it’s understandable that this new-look squad would struggle to get going after so much chop-and-change.
Morgan Rogers helped Aston Villa win the Europa League last season. His ability on the ball, his powerful running and dynamism alongside the likes of Ollie Watkins led to silverware and sustained success. It led Chelsea to pay £117m to bring him over to Stamford Bridge.
Technically, the Villa have replaced their big-money man. Unai Emery oversaw sweeping changes this summer, and while it’s been a steep learning cruve for this new, unfamilar bunch at the start of the season, there’s no question that the potential for great things down the line is still there.
However, the fact remains that NSWE are looking to make another Rogers-esque signing in 2027.
Why Aston Villa still want a Rogers-esque signing
Rogers was a special, special player for Aston Villa. Hailed as “one of the world’s best” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp last term, he indeed played a defining role for Emery’s burgeoning team. He left for a jaw-dropping fee.
Nonetheless, Rogers’ sale was understandable. For such money, Aston Villa could hardly say no. And while other Premier League sides have struggled to look coherent and at the start of an exciting new journey after much summer spending.
Johan Manzambi, swiped from Newcastle United this summer, looks a steal at around £50m. The Swiss international, who emerged with his nation at the World Cup, has been described as the “direct replacement” for Rogers by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, but he will need time and patience before he reaches the Three Lions sensation’s same level.
Aston Villa clearly want their next version of Rogers, and while Manzambi is talented, exciting, he is also raw and must be allowed to integrate, step by step, over the coming years.
How Aston Villa can sign their new Rogers
While Aston Villa have made sweeping changes this summer, there is certainly room for further activity next summer.
According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa are among the Premier League sides to have held talks to sign Scott McTominay, with the Napoli midfielder expected to leave the club next summer, a year ahead of his contract expiry in Naples.
Valued at around £25m, the Scotland international would leave Serie A as “one of the best midfielders in Europe” in the words of BBC pundit Rory Smith, having spearheaded the club toward the Scudetto in 2024/25, claiming the divison’s MVP award. He has scored 27 goals for the club, growing from bit-part status at Manchester United into a focal role in Italy.
The 29-year-old might not be a spring chicken like Manzambi, or a prime-years superstar like Rogers, but he has built himself up to an elite standard, and he would bring that back to the Premier League with a hunger to succeed where he failed before.
|
Scott McTominay – Career Stats by Club |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Apps |
Goals + Assists |
|
Man United |
225 |
29 + 8 |
|
Napoli |
82 |
27 + 10 |
|
Scotland |
73 |
15 + 4 |
Last year in Serie A, Napoli might not have been at the same level, but McTominay still scored ten times across 33 games, boasting the same cutting edge that has allowed Rogers to skyrocket to success in the Premier League, first with Villa and now at Chelsea.
Think of it like this: Rogers is more expansive in his skillset. He is a physical player with a natural eye for goal and enough technicality to draw assists aplenty, contributing toward the fluency of his team’s overall attacking edge. McTominay might be more streamlined in what he does, but he does it well, one of the best box-crashing goalscorers out there, with his accolades in Italy leading him to an 18th-place finish at the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings.
McTominay would return to the Premier League a more cultured and refined player. He has the title-winning experience to prove a talisman of sorts for the young and raw crop of Villan players.
He has the potential to be a leader while adding an invaluable dimension in front of goal.