Morgan Rogers was one of Aston Villa’s outstanding players against Manchester City on Saturday. Pep Guardiola has provided a fascinating insight into the club’s decision to let Morgan Rogers leave the club.
Rogers has been outstanding this season, being at his sparkling best on Saturday afternoon when manager Unai Emery secured all three points with a 2-1 win over struggling City at Villa Park.
After the game, Aston Villa climbed past Manchester City in the table. As of right now, Aston Villa is in 5th place while Manchester City is in 6th place.
The 22-year-old England international not only scored his fifth goal of the season, but also played a crucial role in Villa’s opener, passing to in-form Jhon Duran to play in from close range.
It’s been an 18-month whirlwind for Rogers. After loan spells at Lincoln City, Bournemouth and Blackpool, he joined Championship club Middlesbrough on a permanent deal in July 2023 for just £1.5 million.
Six months later, he joined Aston Villa for around £8 million plus add-ons, and the rest is history.
Pep Guardiola spoke at his post-match press conference on Saturday, full of praise for the 22-year-old, but also defended the call to let him go.
“Do you know what happened to some players? It was a team that won the treble and the quadruple. Sometimes it’s the right pace, the right time to give the chance,” Guardiola told reporters.
“Of course, everyone knows how good Morgan is. Many players went on loan or have been sold.
“But he was at that age, that moment, we had the players we had that allowed us to create the most successful years in the club’s history.
“At that moment, sometimes when they come, they’re two, three years younger, and at that moment it’s Kevin in his prime, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, and sometimes it’s difficult. That’s the only reason why.”
The Spaniard added: “In the situation we are in right now, of course this type of player will be with us. This is obvious.
“I’m happy for him because he’s a handsome guy. He exploded last season and this season he’s a really, really first-class player. England have another exceptional player.”
