Aston Villa’s £15 million acquisition of Middlesbrough forward Morgan Rogers has taken Kieran Scott by surprise, Boro’s sporting director clearly not expecting Premier League interest during the January transfer window.
Speaking one week since the former West Brom and Manchester City starlet completed his protracted move to Villa Park, Scott has had plenty of time to think and to theorise.
And the Middlesbrough chief has come to the conclusion that, had Boro not drawn Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round, perhaps Morgan Rogers would not be wearing claret and blue today.
Aston Villa sign Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough
“I won’t lie and say I was expecting it. That’s no disrespect to Morgan,” Scott tells the Twe12lth Man Podcast, via Gazzete Live. “But he had only just joined us (last summer).
“And (Aston Villa) would have had the same opportunity as us in the summer to take him from Manchester City if that was somebody who’d been on their radar for some time.
“Morgan had started to show a few signs of what he could be. Would (the interest have come) a fraction earlier than I anticipated? Absolutely.
“I think it coincided with the fact we played Aston Villa in the FA Cup. The manager (Unai Emery) would have done his prep work in the build-up to that, watching us however many times. Maybe Morgan has caught his eye there and then in the game maybe done a few things they felt they needed.
“I just can’t see, with how it unfolded, that he must be a player that they’d been watching for 18 months or whatever. The first approach was after the FA Cup game.”
Rogers made only 26 Championship appearances for Middlesbrough, scoring just twice. Villa, however, are betting on potential, Rogers one of four January signings, all of whom are aged 23 and under.
Furthermore, in Emery, Villa have an elite developer of young talent in their ranks. The remarkable progress made by Douglas Luiz, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Wakins and co over the last 18 months means the £15 million investment they made to bring Rogers back to the Midlands could soon look a bargain once the former PSG and Arsenal boss gets his mitts into the skilful 21-year-old.
Villa betting big on youth
“It caught us all by surprise how aggressive they were with the bidding process. We rejected a few offers,” adds Scott, Villa seemingly laying the groundwork for a good relationship between the two clubs by selling Finn Azaz to Middlesbrough at the start of the window.
“In the end, it got to the point that the boys head had been turned a little bit. Though I must say, Morgan handled it brilliantly, excellently and so maturely for a 21-year-old.
“I can’t fault him, but there was clearly stuff going on. It got to the point where we had to make a decision internally that there would be a particular fee that would see us have a more serious conversation and, in the end, Villa got themselves there.”
Rogers made his Villa debut off the bench in the 5-0 hammering of Sheffield United.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
