Arsenal are set to step up their pursuit of Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, as Mikel Arteta looks to freshen up his title-winning squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
The Gunners may have won the league for the first time in 22 years last season, but the club’s hierarchy aren’t prepared to sit back and take it easy in the transfer market. With their rivals in a period of transition, the North London club sense they have an opportunity to dominate English football over the coming years.
Rogers is a priority signing for sporting director Andrea Berta, although Villa’s hefty £130million asking price could present a stumbling block in the prospective deal. That said, creative negotiations from Berta could see the transfer over the line.
Arsenal are expected to turn towards Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola if they can’t land the England international, although given the noise around Rogers, it seems likely that Villa will concede and the Gunners will get their man.
Morgan Rogers Could Wear his Favourite Shirt Number at Arsenal
Whenever a major transfer goes through, fans of the club receiving the player become obsessed with every detail around the signing’s arrival. This includes what shirt number the player will wear at their new club, so supporters can envisage them in their team’s colours.
If Rogers arrives at Arsenal, there will certainly be fanfare around his move to North London. The creative midfielder has worn the number 27 throughout his time at Villa, while he also wore this number in his stints at Lincoln City and Bournemouth.
This repeated use of 27 isn’t a coincidence. Speaking to Sky Sports Premier League last year, the 23-year-old revealed why he is attached to the number.
“I went to Lincoln on loan, and it was the only number that looked remotely okay at the time,” he said.
“It wasn’t my number, but I was looking at the numbers and thought none of these [suit me]. It was because it had the seven in, [Cristiano] Ronaldo was my idol growing up.
“So, because it had the seven I picked that. I wasn’t necessarily sold on it but because then I had a good loan, it kinda stuck with me.”
Rogers did indeed enjoy an impressive spell on loan with the Imps, netting six goals and providing two assists across 28 appearances in League One. This earned him a subsequent loan move to Championship side Bournemouth the following season.
“It’s always the number I’d pick if I go to a club.”
The number 27 has been vacant at Arsenal since Brazilian winger Marquinhos donned it in the 2022/23 season, while the likes of Konstantinos Mavropanos, Gervinho and Emmanuel Eboue have also worn it previously at the Emirates Stadium.
Thus, the Gunners can offer Rogers his preferred shirt number, and this could even be a small factor in convincing him to swap the West Midlands for North London this summer.
Alternative Squad Numbers Available to Morgan Rogers at Arsenal
Caean Couto (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
While Rogers’ comments suggest he’s likely to take 27 if he completes a move to Arsenal, he has worn other numbers previously, and he could still be tempted to switch things up at his prospective new club.
After his stint at Bournemouth, Rogers went on loan to Blackpool for a season, and wore the number 25 shirt. The following year, he joined Middlesbrough permanently and wore number ten on Teesside.
While the number ten is held by Eberechi Eze at Arsenal, 25 has been available at the North London club since Mohamed Elneny’s exit in 2024.
Alternatively, Rogers could be tempted to opt for a more iconic number. There are currently no starting eleven numbers available in Arteta’s squad, although two are expected to spring up over the course of the summer.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Gabriel Jesus is expected to leave, making the number nine shirt available. While this shirt is typically associated with strikers, Rogers could reinvent it at Arsenal as his own iconic look.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Martinelli may also be on his way out of North London, and this departure would make the number 11 shirt available. Given Arsenal reportedly consider Rogers as an option on the left wing, and the number 11 is typically worn by left wingers, this selection would make a lot of sense.
Elsewhere, the numbers 15, 17 and 18 are vacant at Arsenal, providing Rogers with a host of potential options if he, for some reason, doesn’t go down his trodden 27 path.
Currently available shirt numbers for Rogers at Arsenal: 15, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, and several more above 40.
Mariano Rajoy, who served as Spain’s Prime Minister from 2011-2018, has sparked outrage with ‘disgraceful’ comments about the French national football team.
Spain and France will go head-to-head at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, July 14, for their World Cup semi-final. The match promises to be a fascinating encounter, with both sides very impressive in their runs to the last four.
The victor will face either Argentina or England in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.
However, the build-up to the highly-anticipated match has been marred by racist remarks made by Rajoy.
He wrote: “What will happen? It’s not easy to answer such a question. Without going into too much detail, it’s worth remembering that France has been a two-time world champion and a finalist in the last edition. They’ve won every match they’ve played in this World Cup and are currently ranked number one in the FIFA rankings.
“They also have a top-level squad. That said, they don’t have any French players. And they’re playing very well. They’ll be a formidable opponent.”
He added: “We’ve won a World Cup and the European Championship four times. More than France, who have only triumphed twice. We’re third in the FIFA rankings and have only conceded one goal in this World Cup. And there’s a lot of talent up front, so we’ll see. I have a hunch: we’re going to win. Lacking any real reasoning, it’s a feeling.”
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Rajoy Slammed by Spain’s Prime Minister
REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
Spain’s current Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn Rajoy. He wrote:
“There are those who still measure belonging by surname, place of birth, or skin color. Others measure it by our roots in a country and our will to contribute to it. Playing soccer. Caring for our elders. Or opening businesses.
“Spain belongs to those who love it and work for it. Not to those who shame it with xenophobic statements. France, we’ll see you in the semifinals. May the best one win and may racism lose.”
The French embassy in Madrid wrote: “Without wanting to get into a controversy, it is worth recalling the facts: all the players on the French national team are French. Of the 26 players, 23 were born in France. The three who were born abroad are French too.”
While Naima Moutchou, the minister of the overseas for France’s territories, also criticised Rajoy and urged the France Football Federation (FFF) to take legal action. He stated, per The Athletic: “After each France victory, the same obsessions and racist insults resurface. These are not slips. This is a methodical and normalised hatred of France and what it is.”
One of the World Cup stars who could end up in the Premier League was spotted rowing with Norway fans during their 2-1 loss to England last night.
The trademark ‘Viking Row’ has gone viral and has become an iconic chant at this summer’s tournament. It was in full flow after Stale Solbakken’s men took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup.
Jude Bellingham came to the fore once again, first equalising in normal time before scoring an extra-time winner. It means the Three Lions will meet reigning champions Argentina in the semi-finals and ends a memorable campaign for the Norwegians.
World Cup Star Rows With Norway vs England
HMB Media/ Marco Bader via Sipa USA
Norway reached their first-ever quarter-final after knocking out record-holders Brazil in the Round of 16. The ship has sailed, though, after losing to England at Miami Stadium.
The European nation has earned plenty of supporters for their admirable performance, including players from other countries. Mexico’s wonderkid Gilberto Mora appears to have caught Norwegian fever as he attended the game on Saturday.
Mora was in the stands alongside his agent Rafaela Pimenta ahead of kick-off. He then reappeared wearing a Norway shirt and performed the ‘Viking Row’ chant with Norwegian fans.
Mora’s appearance didn’t go unnoticed, and one fan asked: “What is Gilberto Mora doing rowing with the Vikings HAHAHAHA.” The 17-year-old stole the show for Mexico but was on the losing side against England in the Round of 16.
The Tijuana attacker was in floods of tears after a 3-2 loss, and Bellingham comforted him in the tunnel. Despite exiting the tournament, he is clearly sticking around to see who is crowned world champions.
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Why Mora Supported Norway
REUTERS/Raquel Cunha via Action Images
There’s a good reason why Mora attended Norway’s game against England and that’s because of links to Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker started up top for Solbakken’s side but struggled to get involved and was surprisingly brought off for extra time.
Mora and Haaland share the same agent, Pimenta, and it’s thought that he is trying to secure a transfer for the Mexican starlet. He certainly put clubs on notice with his exploits during the World Cup.
One of them appears to be Liverpool, who are reportedly preparing to make a bid for the teenage attacking midfielder. There’s every chance he meets Haaland as an opponent next season should he make the move to Anfield.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also thought to be keeping tabs. He is undoubtedly one of the breakout stars of the World Cup who might have earned himself a high-profile transfer.
Wrexham are reportedly ready to make a £7 million bid to sign a Sunderland star in the summer transfer window.
The Championship club could look to make some ambitious signings in the summer as they aim to gain promotion to the Premier League.
The Wales-based side finished just outside the play-off places last season, but they’ll be hoping to build a squad capable of gaining promotion from the Championship.
Wrexham have spent significant sums of money over the last few years to climb from non-league to the second tier of English football, and it’s been a fairytale journey for Phil Parkinson’s side.
Now it’s about getting over the line and climbing into the top division, and they’ll need reinforcements if they want to do so.
