*** Chelsea sign Rogers from Villa for reported UK record fee | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Chelsea sign Rogers from Villa for reported UK record fee

AFP | London

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Chelsea signed England midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa on Tuesday in a deal British media valued at £117 million ($157 million), a price that smashed the transfer record for a British player.

"The 23-year-old forward has signed a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033," the London club posted on their web site.

Rogers passed a medical on Monday following his return from the World Cup in North America.

"I'm so excited," said Rogers. "For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I've always admired since I was a kid," Rogers was quoted as saying by the club.

"I'm really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we've got and where the club is heading. That's why I'm here and I can't wait to get started."

The transfer surpasses the previous record fee for a British player set by Manchester City when they signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million earlier in July.

Rogers is the most expensive signing in Chelsea's history, eclipsing the £107 million paid to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in 2023.

The swoop is a significant statement of intent from Chelsea, who convinced Rogers to leave Villa even though -- unlike his former club -- the west Londoners will not play in the Champions League in the coming season.