Chelsea recently completed the signing of Morgan Rogers (£7.5m) from Aston Villa in a club-record £117m deal.
The England international proved himself as a strong Fantasy Premier League (FPL) asset at Villa Park, but his move to Stamford Bridge creates fresh uncertainty.
With Xabi Alonso now in charge, much will depend on where Rogers fits into Chelsea’s new-look attack.
In this article, we assess his numbers, likely role, competition for minutes and whether he can remain a valuable FPL option.
XABI ALONSO
Before assessing Rogers’ FPL potential, it’s worth considering Chelsea’s managerial change.
Alonso takes charge for the 2026/27 campaign, and his tactical approach should give us a clearer idea of how the England international could fit into the new-look side.
The Spaniard officially joined Chelsea this summer on a four-year deal, arriving with a solid reputation following spells at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.
His side’s aim to control matches through patient possession, waiting for the right moment to attack rather than forcing the issue. Once space opens up, they play through central areas using quick combinations and intelligent movement, while attacking players are given the freedom to rotate positions, exploit space and express themselves in the final third. Runs beyond the defence and low cut-backs are also regular features of Alonso’s attacking approach.
Those principles could suit Rogers, who is at his best driving through central areas, linking play with team-mates and arriving in dangerous positions in/around the penalty box. His versatility should also allow him to occupy several attacking roles within Alonso’s fluid system, while the freedom afforded to creative players appears well suited to his style.
Speaking about his decision to join Chelsea, Rogers highlighted Alonso’s style as a major factor:
“I’ve had a few conversations with him and I think it’s important for me to be here that I need to understand what the manager’s like, how he is and how he wants to operate.
It very much fits with the way I see the game, the way I want to play, and the way I want to be me, and be free and express myself. Him being a part of that was a massive factor in me being here.” – Morgan Rogers
Of course, tactics are only part of the equation. Rogers arrives at Stamford Bridge after an outstanding spell at Aston Villa, where he developed into one of the Premier League’s most exciting attacking talents.
CAREER SO FAR
Rogers began his career in West Bromwich Albion’s academy before joining Manchester City in 2019. Although he never made a senior appearance for Pep Guardiola’s side, loan spells at Lincoln City, AFC Bournemouth and Blackpool provided valuable first-team experience.
His breakthrough arrived following a permanent move to Middlesbrough in the summer of 2023. While he scored just two Championship goals, Rogers impressed under Michael Carrick and enjoyed an excellent League Cup campaign, finishing as the competition’s joint-top scorer as Boro reached the semi-finals.
Those performances convinced Aston Villa to sign him in January 2024 for £8m. It quickly proved to be one of the bargains of the transfer window, with Rogers developing into one of the Premier League’s standout young attacking players under Unai Emery.
He also represented the Three Lions at the 2026 World Cup before completing his British-record £117m move to Chelsea.
| Season | Club | Appearances | Mins | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | West Brom U18 | 3 | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017/18 | West Brom U18 | 18 | 1443 | 4 | 4 |
| 2018/19 | West Brom U18 | 25 | 2056 | 15 | 7 |
| 2019/20 | Manchester City U21 | 32 | 2229 | 7 | 3 |
| 2020/21 | Man City U21/Lincoln City | 33 | 394 | 8 | 3 |
| 2021/22 | Bournemouth | 17 | 392 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022/23 | Blackpool | 22 | 1278 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023/24 | Middlesborough/Aston Villa | 49 | 2822 | 10 | 10 |
| 2024/25 | Aston Villa | 54 | 4496 | 14 | 12 |
| 2025/26 | Aston Villa | 55 | 4564 | 14 | 12 |
Rogers’ career has followed a clear upward trajectory. After gaining valuable experience in the EFL, he exploded onto the Premier League scene following his move to Aston Villa. He registered 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions in the 2023/24 season.
He then backed that up with identical returns of 14 goals and 12 assists in each of the following two campaigns (plus three Fantasy assists!). Rogers also featured in more than 50 matches in both seasons, underlining his consistency and importance to Villa.
| Season | Injury | From | To | Days | Games missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | Hamstring Injury | 06/05/24 | 01/06/24 | 27 | 3 |
Another positive from an FPL perspective is Rogers’ durability. He has featured in 109 matches across the last two seasons. He also played more than 4,400 minutes in both campaigns. That highlights both his fitness and his importance to Aston Villa. His injury record is equally encouraging.
The England international has missed just three matches through injury since arriving at Villa Park. A hamstring problem in May 2024 remains his only notable setback.
Chelsea’s lack of European football should also help. Fewer midweek fixtures will reduce fixture congestion. It should also allow Rogers more time to recover between Premier League matches.
WHAT DOES THE DATA SAY?
Rogers enjoyed another outstanding campaign for Aston Villa last season, registering 18 attacking returns in 37 Premier League appearances. That ranked him among the top five midfielders in the league.
Rogers also impressed in Europe. He registered eight goal contributions in 15 Europa League appearances, including a goal and an assist in the final against Freiburg.
But what about his underlying numbers? It’s a question many FPL managers have asked over the last couple of seasons. At first glance, there is some cause for concern. Rogers did not rank among the top 15 midfielders for non-penalty expected goal involvement (NPxGI), suggesting he received fewer high-quality chances than many of his positional rivals.
However, Rogers has consistently shown he doesn’t need a high volume of chances to produce returns. Across the last two Premier League seasons, he has outperformed his NPxGI, highlighting his ability to convert difficult opportunities.
POSITION AND VERSATILITY
| Position | Appearances |
|---|---|
| Left-wing | 106 |
| Attacking midfield | 82 |
| Right-winger | 44 |
| Centre forward | 22 |
Rogers’ versatility is another major attraction. He has spent most of his career on the left wing, making 106 appearances from that position. However, he is far from being a one-role player.
The England international has also featured 82 times as an attacking midfielder and 44 times from the right. He has even made 22 appearances through the middle as a centre-forward. That flexibility should be useful for Alonso, particularly if Chelsea move between a back three and a back four.
In a 3-4-2-1, Rogers looks capable of operating in either of the two narrow attacking roles behind the striker. He can also move wider when required. That gives Alonso several ways to use him without changing the overall structure.
In a recent interview, Alonso was asked what his plans for Rogers were in terms of position, to which he responded:
“One of his best qualities is that he’s flexible… I think in that pocket position close to the striker, close to the other 10, but he’s played as well on the right side as well, but I think more coming from the left”.
From an FPL perspective, though, his versatility cuts both ways. It should improve his chances of starting, but his exact role may vary from match to match. Where he spends most of his minutes will be important when assessing his goal threat.
COMPETITION
In terms of competition, there are several players we can arguably rule out as major threats. Alejandro Garnacho (£6.0m) has joined Aston Villa, which removes an option from the left side of Chelsea’s attack.
Another predominantly left-sided attacker is Jamie Gittens (£6.0m). The 21-year-old failed to convince last season, starting just five league matches. That suggests he could continue to struggle for regular minutes.
Pedro Neto (£6.5m) is perhaps the player most likely to compete directly with Rogers. He has shown he can operate on either flank, although rumours linking him with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur continue to gather pace.
One player who could have some say in Rogers potentially starting on the right side of the Chelsea attack is Estevao (£6.5m). The Brazilian has more than impressed since joining from Palmeiras in 2024. However, the teenager has just recovered from injury, so we could see his minutes managed early on in the season.
Nicolas Jackson (£6.5m) is another player linked with a move away following his loan spell at Bayern Munich. If he stays, he should still see minutes. However, after João Pedro’s (£7.5m) outstanding 2025/26 campaign, he appears unlikely to be first choice through the middle.
Cole Palmer (£9.5m) is virtually certain to start when fit. Like Rogers, he offers plenty of versatility and is capable of playing on either flank or as a No. 10, although he is most effective on the right.
Taking everything into account, Rogers appears well placed to become a regular starter under Alonso. His versatility, durability and tactical fit all strengthen his case. Whether he starts on the left, in a No. 10 role or occasionally on the right will likely depend on Alonso’s preferred setup and the opposition.
CHELSEA ATTACK
Many will assume Chelsea’s attack lagged behind Aston Villa’s and the Premier League’s other top sides last season because of their league position. However, a closer look at the underlying numbers tells a different story.
Chelsea actually edged Aston Villa for goals scored last season. They also bettered them for goal attempts, shots in the box, big chances and expected goals (xG). In fact, only one Premier League side recorded a higher xG than Chelsea.
It’s not all positive for Chelsea, though. As the table above shows, they underperformed their xG by the second-largest margin in the Premier League last season. In simple terms, they missed more high-quality chances than almost every other side.
Could that actually work in Rogers’ favour? There’s certainly an argument that it could. He has consistently outperformed his underlying numbers in recent seasons, so joining an attack that regularly creates chances but fails to convert them could suit his strengths.
There’s also a strong case that Rogers’ arrival will improve Chelsea’s attacking efficiency. If he continues to outperform his underlying data, he could help turn more of those chances into goals while boosting his own Fantasy potential.
THE FIXTURES
Chelsea’s opening fixtures look tricky on paper. They begin with a clash against local rivals Fulham, before facing Brighton and Hove Albion and reigning champions Arsenal.
However, there are reasons for optimism. Chelsea then face promoted Hull City, who had one of the Championship’s weakest defences last season. With a new manager in charge, plenty of new faces and time to settle into Alonso’s system, there’s every chance the Blues can score heavily across their opening six fixtures.
CAN ROGERS BE A GOOD FPL ASSET AT CHELSEA?
There are, of course, risks. Rogers is joining a new club and a new tactical system. Chelsea are also beginning a new era under Alonso. That could mean an adjustment period.
However, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Alonso’s attacking philosophy appears well suited to Rogers’ strengths. Chelsea also ranked among the league’s strongest sides for underlying attacking numbers. The chances should be there.
Rogers has consistently outperformed his underlying data. He also looks well placed to become a regular starter. If he settles quickly, he has every chance of becoming a standout FPL asset this season.
