Villa seem mightily determined to test Middlesbrough’s resolve for Morgan Rogers, with a 3rd formal bid now rejected.
The 21-year-old, who has reportedly made clear his desire to play Premier League football to Boro, is valued at around £12 million.
Morgan has 15 goal contributions this season and appears to have caught the eye of Unai Emery as he looks to increase Villa’s potency in the final third. A major stumbling block may not just be the fee, however.
Embed from Getty ImagesVilla will also have to factor in the additional cost that Rogers’ former club, Manchester City, are entitled to in terms of a large selling-on fee. This figure hasn’t been established publicly but is thought to be a substantial portion of any final transfer amount. It certainly represents a stumbling block with Middlesbrough seeking to maximise their margin as well for a player purchased for a mere £1.5 million last summer.
The structure of the proposed deal is also likely to be lacking in appeal for Boro unless their full valuation is met. Villa are understood to have offered only £7.5 million upfront to date, with the remainder made up of add-ons. It’s very much a case now of balancing what looks to be a narrow Financial Fair Play margin and ensuring that we also don’t over-pay for the player in question.
Villa now have just three days to make that decision and get a deal across the line before the January transfer window slams shut.
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