Arsenal ramping up move to sign £100m star

They couldn’t do it again, could they? Arsenal lifted the Premier League last month, ending 22 years without that title, but Mikel Arteta is far from sated in his appetite for titles.

The Premier League champions agonisingly lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, but that must not detract from an incredible season.

Declan Rice stood and watched PSG lift the European trophy, his face twisted into a rictus. You might say that Rice knows Arsenal will be back. It’s not done yet.

This has been an incredible year for the Gunners, but now, it’s time for Arsenal to consolidate their position at the top of the food chain by strengthening Arteta’s squad even further.

Arsenal among favourites for Premier League star

Arsenal celebrated long into the night, but Arteta won’t want to forget that feeling any time soon, and indeed will want it back. In order to keep the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United at bay, signings are needed.

The north Londoners have enjoyed a happy marriage with technical director Andrea Berta thus far, but he hasn’t been flawless, with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke leaving plenty to be desired in attack.

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal may have to battle against Chelsea and Manchester City for the signature of Morgan Rogers this summer, who is open to leaving Aston Villa this summer.

While the player may be pining for a move to north London, his employers are bound to play hardball, especially after winning silverware and securing a ticket into the Champions League. Rogers has thus been priced at £100m.

Rogers, 23, is one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League, with a unique skillset that would be perfect for Arteta’s Arsenal system. He would be expected to balance slick attacking play with combative defending off the ball, and in that, he could actually emerge as the new Aaron Ramsey.

Why Rogers can be Arsenal’s new Ramsey

The Welsh wizard. Ramsey’s Arsenal career might have been marred by injuries, but he still made his mark across 11 years of service, scoring 64 goals and supplying 60 assists across 369 games. He won three FA Cups in four years.

Ramsey, now 35 and retired, was a powerful and dynamic midfielder in his day. Combative and cultured on the ball with a focus on driving forward and making things happen in the final third.

Could Rogers pack a similar punch at the Emirates? He is a flashy attacker, excellent in dismantling low blocks and pushing past opponents, into the danger area, but he is also a firm defender, chipping in with tackles and interceptions.

Having helped Aston Villa to the Europa League title, Rogers is certainly establishing himself as one of the most exciting attacking midfielders on the market, someone who Arsenal would deeply benefit from welcoming to their fold.

Hailed for his “world-class” quality on the ball by journalist Graeme Bailey, there’s no question that Rogers is the real deal, someone who would provide a counterpoint for Arsenal, different to the likes of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze. Moreover, he is skilled on the left winG when needed.

Could this be the Ramsey-esque piece that Arteta’s system has been missing? Rogers would certainly give Arsenal an added dimension in front of goal, and he would dart from box to box in a manner not too dissimilar to the Wales star in his heyday.

Rogers might have established himself as “one of the best players in the Premier League”, according to pundit Jamie Carragher, but he still yearns to play for the best of the best, and at the Emirates, he would realise that goal.