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Chelsea have finalised the signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a hefty £117 million (€137 million), setting a new record for the most expensive English player ever and ranking as the fifth highest transfer fee in football history. According to the club’s official announcement, the 23-year-old forward has committed to a contract at Stamford Bridge that runs until 2033.

The previous record for an English player was £116 million, set earlier this month when Manchester City acquired Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Rogers completed his medical on Monday after returning from the World Cup held in the United States, where the England team secured third place.

This deal also breaks Chelsea’s own transfer record, overtaking the £107 million they paid to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in 2023.

Chelsea had been tracking Rogers for nearly two years and managed to bring him in despite not competing in the Champions League this season. The Blues outmanoeuvred Arsenal in the race for his signature after the Gunners refused to meet Aston Villa’s valuation.

Rogers’ exit marks another major loss for Unai Emery’s side, following Youri Tielemans’ move to Manchester United and with Lucas Digne set to join Paris Saint-Germain soon. Middlesbrough are also set to benefit, receiving 20% of the transfer fee due to a sell-on clause from Rogers’ 2024 transfer to Villa.

During his time at Aston Villa, Rogers netted 21 goals across 85 league appearances and played a crucial role in the club’s Europa League final victory over Freiburg in May. In the previous season, he contributed 14 goals and 11 assists across 55 matches, while at the World Cup he started three games, featured in most others, and provided one assist.