Chelsea considering move for Aston Villa playmaker amid shock Cole Palmer uncertainty

Soccer Football – Premier League – Chelsea v Brentford – Stamford Bridge, London, Britain – January 17, 2026 Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..

Chelsea are interested in Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers. Rogers has been one of the Premier League’s best performers this season, with seven goals and fives assists in 23 appearances.

He is also a long time personal friend of Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer, who has been the surprise subject of speculation this month. Palmer has been linked with a move to boyhood club Manchester United after sources close to the player reportedly suggested he is homesick.

This speculation is believed to be premature at the moment, with Palmer an integral part of Chelsea’s long term project. The player is understood to be fully committed to the project and is not angling for a move away.

Team Talk has reported that Chelsea are keen on Rogers as part of long term plan at Stamford Bridge alongside Palmer, and not necessarily as a replacement for him.

Chelsea hold long standing interest in Rogers, having tracked the player’s progress over the past few years. Rogers and Palmer are long time personal friends and former Manchester City teammates.

A long standing friendly feud between the two stars has surfaced around the origin of the popular “cold” celebration which both players commonly use when scoring. Chelsea co-director of Recruitment and Talent, Joe Shields, worked previously at Manchester City when both players were on the books there.

Shields was instrumental in bringing Palmer to Chelsea and is now reportedly keen on reuniting the player with Rogers. Any move would likely take place over the summer rather than the winter, with Rogers integral in Villa’s chase for the Premier League title.

Rogers recently signed a contract extension with Villa that ties him to the club until 2031, but has continued to be linked with a move away. Links to former club Manchester City as well as Arsenal and Real Madrid have made the rounds in previous transfer windows.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.

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