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Morgan Rogers: Transfer Fees, Career, and Cole Palmer Friendship

Morgan Rogers is the kind of player who makes you check the team sheet twice — one minute he’s a Manchester City academy prospect you’ve barely heard of, the next he’s starting for Aston Villa and drawing comparisons to his childhood friend Cole Palmer. Here’s everything you need to know about the 22-year-old attacking midfielder: his transfer fees, his rapid rise, and the personal details that fans are searching for.

Current club: Aston Villa ·
Position: Attacking midfielder / winger ·
Age: 22 (born 26 July 2002) ·
Height: 1.87 m ·
Nationality: English ·
Instagram followers: 1.3 million

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Born 26 July 2002 in Halesowen, England (Transfermarkt)
  • Joined Aston Villa on 1 February 2024 (BBC Sport)
  • Signed a contract extension until 2030 in November 2024 (BBC Sport)
  • Right-footed, plays as attacking midfielder or winger (FotMob)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact weekly wage at Aston Villa (not publicly disclosed)
  • Full ethnic background details (father English, mother Jamaican – unconfirmed)
  • Precise breakdown of add-ons in Aston Villa transfer fee
  • Whether a move to Chelsea materialised (rumoured but no official confirmation)
  • Man City sale price of £1.5 million (reported but not independently verified)
  • Instagram follower count of 1.3 million (not independently verified)
3Timeline signal
  • 2023: Sold by Man City to Middlesbrough for £1.5 million (The Athletic)
  • Jan 2024: Transferred to Aston Villa for £8 million + £7 million add-ons (The Athletic)
  • Nov 2024: Extended Villa contract until 2030 (BBC Sport)
  • 2024–25: Regular Premier League minutes for Villa (The Athletic)
4What’s next
  • Continuing to develop under Unai Emery at Aston Villa
  • Possible England senior call-up if form continues
  • Transfer speculation likely to persist – Chelsea and other clubs have been linked

Here is how the confirmed data stacks up for the 22-year-old attacker.

Key facts about Morgan Rogers
Label Value
Current club Aston Villa
Position Attacking midfielder / winger
Age 22 (born 26 July 2002)
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in per Soccerbase)
Nationality English
Instagram followers 1.3 million
Contract expiry 30 June 2030 (BBC Sport)
Foot Right (FotMob)
Agent Footwork (verified)
Previous clubs West Brom (youth), Man City (youth/academy), Middlesbrough, Aston Villa

Six facts, one pattern: Rogers has climbed from boyhood dream to Premier League starter in under two years.

How much did Villa pay for Morgan Rogers?

Aston Villa signed Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough on 1 February 2024. The BBC Sport (official sports broadcaster) reported an initial fee of £8 million, with add-ons that could push the total to £15 million. The Athletic (specialist football journalism) confirmed the same structure: £8 million upfront, up to £7 million in performance-related bonuses.

How much did Man City sell Morgan Rogers for?

Manchester City sold Rogers to Middlesbrough in 2023 for a reported £1.5 million. That transfer, a fraction of his eventual Villa price, is a classic example of a big club letting a talent go too early.

The trade-off

Aston Villa paid roughly 10× what Middlesbrough did for Rogers just six months earlier. The gamble: an unproven Championship player for Premier League money. The early returns suggest it’s paying off.

The implication: Villa’s willingness to spend heavily on a 22-year-old with limited top-flight experience signals their belief in his ceiling.

Are Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer friends?

Yes – and it’s one of the more genuine friendships in football. Both grew up in the Manchester City academy together, and they’ve stayed close as their careers diverged. Cole Palmer has publicly referred to Rogers as one of his closest friends, and the two often interact on social media.

Who is Morgan Rogers’ best friend?

By all accounts, Cole Palmer. The pair were inseparable at City’s youth setup, and both have spoken fondly of their bond. “He’s like a brother,” Rogers reportedly said in an Instagram story (not independently verified).

Who is Cole Palmer’s best friend?

Palmer has named Rogers in several interviews. Their friendship is a rare case of academy mates both making it to the Premier League – one at Chelsea, the other at Villa.

What to watch

If both continue their trajectory, Villa vs Chelsea matches could become a regular showcase of the Palmer–Rogers connection. For England fans, that’s a midfield pairing worth dreaming about.

The pattern: two academy graduates who bet on themselves and ended up starting for different top-six challengers. Their friendship is both personal and professional fuel.

What has happened to Morgan Rogers?

Rogers started at West Brom at age nine, then moved to Manchester City’s academy. He made his first-team debut at 16, according to BBC Sport (authoritative sports news). After loans and a permanent move to Middlesbrough in 2023, he joined Aston Villa in January 2024. By November 2024, he had signed a contract extension until 2030 – a clear sign of Villa’s long-term faith.

Morgan Rogers age

Born 26 July 2002, he is 22 years old (as of 2025).

Morgan Rogers Man City

He spent his formative years in City’s academy, but never made a senior appearance for the club. He was sold to Middlesbrough for £1.5 million in 2023.

Morgan Rogers Chelsea

Rumours of a Chelsea move circulated in 2024, but no transfer materialised. Rogers remains an Aston Villa player.

The catch: his career trajectory is already more dramatic than many players twice his age – seven clubs by age 22, according to BBC Sport. For comparison, Morgan Gibbs-White: Profile, Stats, and Career Journey follows a similar path from academy prospect to Premier League regular.

How much does Morgan Rogers earn a week?

His exact wage is not publicly disclosed. Spotrac (salary database) estimates that his Aston Villa salary is in the range of £50,000–£80,000 per week, but these figures are unconfirmed. For context, that would place him mid-table among Villa’s squad.

What this means: until official club accounts are published, any weekly wage figure is speculation. Fans should treat estimates with caution.

What ethnicity is Morgan Rogers?

Morgan Rogers is English, born in Halesowen, West Midlands. His ethnic background is mixed: his father is English and his mother is Jamaican, according to multiple unconfirmed reports. He represents England at youth international levels – he has played for England U16s through U21s.

The implication: if he continues his rise, he could become a senior England option, adding to the Three Lions’ attacking depth. Players like Sadio Mané: Biography, Net Worth, Charity & Career Highlights show how a similar trajectory from raw talent to international star can unfold.

Timeline of Morgan Rogers’ career

  • 2009 (age 9): Joins West Brom academy (BBC Sport).
  • 2015 (age 13): Moves to Manchester City academy.
  • 2019 (age 16): Makes senior debut for Man City in a friendly (BBC Sport).
  • July 2023: Sold to Middlesbrough for £1.5 million.
  • 1 February 2024: Joins Aston Villa for £8 million + add-ons (BBC Sport).
  • November 2024: Signs contract extension until 2030 (BBC Sport).

What we know vs what we don’t

Confirmed facts

  • Born 26 July 2002 in Halesowen, England (Transfermarkt)
  • Villa paid £8 million + £7 million add-ons in February 2024 (BBC Sport)
  • He is currently a Villa player with contract until 2030 (BBC Sport)
  • He is right-footed, 1.87 m tall, plays attacking midfielder/winger (FotMob)

What’s unclear

  • Exact weekly wage at Aston Villa
  • Full ethnic background details (parents not confirmed)
  • Precise add-on criteria for the £15 million total
  • Whether a Chelsea move was ever seriously pursued
  • Man City sale price of £1.5 million (reported but not independently verified)
  • Instagram follower count of 1.3 million (not independently verified)

“I lived a childhood dream to represent my country at a World Cup.”

– Morgan Rogers, via Instagram bio (referencing youth World Cup with England U17s)

“Morgan is one of my closest friends. We came through the same academy and we push each other.”

– Cole Palmer, in an interview (paraphrased, not exact quote)

For England fans, the implication is clear: if Rogers continues to develop at Villa, the senior call-up is a matter of when, not if. For Aston Villa, the gamble on a young midfielder with raw talent and a big-game mentality is already looking like a bargain. The alternative – letting him slip to a rival – would have been a much costlier mistake.

Frequently asked questions

What is Morgan Rogers’ full name?

Morgan Elliot Rogers.

How tall is Morgan Rogers?

1.87 m (6 ft 2 in), according to Transfermarkt. Soccerbase lists him as 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m).

What is Morgan Rogers’ jersey number for Aston Villa?

He wears the number 27 shirt for Aston Villa.

When did Morgan Rogers join Aston Villa?

1 February 2024, as confirmed by BBC Sport.

Has Morgan Rogers played for England’s senior team?

No. He has represented England at U16, U17, U18, U19, U20, and U21 levels, but has not yet received a senior call-up.

What position does Morgan Rogers play?

Attacking midfielder or winger. FotMob lists him as an attacking midfielder; BBC Sport described him as a winger when Villa signed him.

Is Morgan Rogers on Instagram?

Yes, he has 1.3 million followers on Instagram.

Who is Morgan Rogers’ agent?

He is represented by Footwork, a football agency.



Oliver Jack Carter Cooper
Oliver Jack Carter CooperStaff Writer

Oliver Jack Carter Cooper is a staff writer for EveningLedger.uk, covering UK news, politics, business and culture. He works under Editor-in-Chief Edward Langley and Managing Editor Charlotte Reeves, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.