A deft little back-heel from Morgan Rogers to grab yet another assist for Middlesbrough in their 1-1 draw against Rotherham accentuated just why there is such a clamour for the services of the former Manchester City attacker.
However, just because Aston Villa have allegedly made multiple bids for the young talent that cost Middlesbrough just £1 million, it does not automatically mean that the club have to roll over and accept that they will lose him during the January transfer window. The latest report from The Mail suggests there has been a third bid from the Midlands club after two initial proposals were rejected, but the proposed fee is not yet known.
Rogers’ impressive stats
Rogers is enjoying his football under Michael Carrick, a coach who allows him to express himself and try things in attacking phases. The fact that he has 9 assists and 6 goals shows just how influential he can be when given that kind of freedom.
His good form has led to Villa’s interest, with reports suggesting that Unai Emery has made him his ‘number one target’. But Rogers was only signed in the summer on a four year contract. That means Boro are not concerned about the ramifications of knocking back bids, only to lose him at the end of the season, as is the case when a player is coming to the end of their contract.
It is absolutely true that every player will have a value and it would be naive to suggest Boro are any different in that sense, but in previous transfer dealings, where they have sold assets like Chuba Akpom, they have been in a situation where their contract due to expire a lot earlier.
Deal must be of value to all parties
The other caveat with any deal being brokered, is that Middlesbrough will have to take into consideration a sell-on fee that was put in place by Manchester City when they purchased him. It is something the north west club tend to do with any of their academy graduates who move away from the club.
The fee is rumoured to be around the 20% mark. So any fee garnered from Villa would have to represent good value after that has been deducted. It is not clear what Boro value Rogers at currently, but Aston Villa also have to exercise caution whilst negotiating because of FFP restrictions.
As far as the player himself is concerned, he appears to be training and playing in the same professional manner he has shown right through his early tenure at Boro. He recently posted on his social media story a picture of him training in the cold weather, maybe in a bid to show the fans he is unaffected by all of the attention.
Boro boss with clear show of faith
Rogers has shown himself to be a driven, ambitious player who is keen to make a difference on Teesside, and Michael Carrick clearly felt that his mentality was strong enough to start the match yesterday. It was not a great day for the team who stuttered and struggled to get going, but it certainly was not for the lack of trying on Rogers’ part, who was playing in an unfamiliar lone striker role.
Carrick has insisted that he fully expects Rogers to be playing a part on Tuesday evening in their crucial semi-final second leg match against Chelsea. It is testament to Rogers’ obvious professionalism that it was not even something the Boro boss needed to consider or mull over.
Boro under no pressure
Whether or not the attacking midfielder who hails from Halesowen, just outside Birmingham, is still a Middlesbrough player by the end of the window remains to be seen. But the move was a little left field and relatively unexpected. It is hard to imagine Boro are desperate to take the deal for financial reasons, because they simply would not have expected the approach for him after having just 6 months at the club.
The summer will of course provide its own unique challenges in terms of interest in players. It is widely accepted that another of Boro’s burgeoning young talents, Hayden Hackney will be a player that is in demand come the end of the season, especially if Boro are still in the Championship.
But for now, they may just be happy to sit tight until the value of Rogers is met, and Villa might not reach that valuation. It appears that the player is not forcing the issue at the moment, and why should he? He is playing regular football under the guidance of one of the country’s brightest coaches. Long may that continue.