Theo Walcott and Ian Wright have expressed serious disappointment over Arsenal's failure to sign Morgan Rogers during the summer transfer window. The midfielder instead joined Chelsea in a £117 million deal, prompting the Gunners legends to question why their former club did not move faster for one of Europe's most promising attacking talents.
Walcott made his frustration clear when comparing Rogers to Christos Tzolis, one of Arsenal's own summer signings. "Tzolis, I like him, but it's Rogers," Walcott said. "We should have got him, oh well." His candid remarks highlight the gap between Arsenal's actual recruitment and their aspirations under Mikel Arteta.
Arteta Wanted a Game-Changer
Wright expanded on the tactical reasoning behind the pursuit, explaining that Arteta specifically sought a creative midfielder to elevate Arsenal's attacking output alongside Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz. "I think we did need Rogers," Wright stated. "You say we have got those types of players but that is what Mikel wanted. It is a position where we need that player." He suggested Rogers represented the difference-maker Arsenal lacked, a player capable of unlocking defences in the Champions League and Premier League title race.
The pursuit of other targets may have complicated matters. Arsenal explored moves for Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez, both of whom rejected switches to North London. Wright argued this strategy backfired: "If you're a player and you see a team going for him, you think, 'I thought they were interested in me?'. Chelsea thought, well if you're not going to pay it, we'll pay it."
Rogers Makes Immediate Impact
Rogers has already vindicated Chelsea's investment, registering one goal and one assist in his opening two appearances at Stamford Bridge. The midfielder will get his chance to remind Arsenal of their mistake when Chelsea visit the Emirates on Sunday—a fixture that could prove pivotal in this season's title contest between the two London clubs.
Arteta deflected criticism about the transfer miss, citing the complexity of squad management. Despite securing Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa, and Tzolis, Arsenal's inability to land Rogers may define whether this campaign delivers silverware or another year of near-misses.
