Tottenham Hotspur have held initial talks over a late move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers following Arsenal’s hijack of their pursuit of Eberechi Eze, journalist Miguel Delaney has revealed.
The Europa League winners have reportedly made the England international a priority target after missing out on the Crystal Palace ace, who is close to completing a £68m switch to the Emirates.
Tottenham have already made contact through intermediaries to see if a deal for Rogers is possible, and there is a feeling that a ‘proper bid’ might change Villa’s stance.
Unai Emery’s side do not want to sell the 'frightening' midfielder, who was named PFA Young Player of the Year on Tuesday and has been instrumental to their success in the past several seasons.
Rogers is expected to cost £80m+ and considerably more than Eze, given he is under contract until June 2030 at Villa Park, which may eventually prove a huge obstacle for Spurs.
Tottenham Make Morgan Rogers Top Target
According to Delaney, a late summer deal for Rogers could end up costing in excess of £80m amid Villa’s strong negotiating position:
However, a strong initial bid may be able to soften their stance, as Villa continue to face PSR constraints and recently parted ways with Jacob Ramsey, who joined Newcastle in a £40m deal.
Tottenham are believed to have several alternative attacking targets in mind, including Como starlet Nico Paz and Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche.
The Lilywhites have also registered their interest in Southampton starlet Tyler Dibling with an initial approach, while the possibility of a deal for Chelsea target Xavi Simons has also been discussed.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Rogers scored eight goals and provided 11 assists in 37 Premier League appearances last term.
Tottenham have splashed out close to £100m on new arrivals to boost new manager Thomas Frank’s squad this summer, including £55m on former West Ham United forward Mohammed Kudus.
The Ghanaian winger started the season well by providing two assists in Spurs’ 3-0 win over Burnley last weekend and starred in the absence of several first-team stars.
Spurs were without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie and Radu Dragusin for their season-opening victory, with Maddison the latest to suffer a long-term setback earlier this month.