Morgan Rogers has made it clear where he believes he is most effective, giving Xabi Alonso a strong indication of how to deploy him at Chelsea.
The 23-year-old England international was signed from Aston Villa this summer for £117million, making him one of the most expensive transfers in Chelsea’s history.
Rogers established himself as one of the most feared forwards in the Premier League last season, impressing equally as a left winger and as an attacking midfielder throughout the campaign.
Alonso is expected to deploy a system built around a back three, a double pivot, flying wing-backs, and two inside forwards operating behind the striker at Stamford Bridge.
That setup could see Rogers lining up in the left half-space alongside Cole Palmer, giving him freedom to play between the lines or stretch play by hugging the touchline.
Should Alonso instead opt for a back four, as he did during his early management days at Real Sociedad and later at Real Madrid, Rogers would more likely slot into a wider left role.
Rogers himself has spoken openly about his positional preferences on multiple occasions, offering plenty of insight into how he sees his own game developing.
Speaking to Gary Lineker and Micah Richards on The Rest Is Football podcast in January 2025, Rogers explained the difference between playing wide and through the middle.
“I like being involved in the game,” he said. “I think out wide, you can get a bit bogged down, a bit stuck out wide, waiting for something to happen.”
He added: “Whereas I think in the middle I can make stuff happen, even if a second ball or a ricochet can just accidentally fall to you, and you can make something of it, even if you’re not getting the ball.”
Rogers also credited former Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick as the first coach to move him into a central role during his development years in the Championship.
“I was always a winger growing up at City,” Rogers explained. “Then I became more central at Middlesbrough, so I’ve had to work on receiving the ball in tight areas and little pockets of space.”
He was candid about his preferences, stating: “I’d probably say I enjoy central, but I don’t mind playing that wide. I’ve always played that wide, playing for England at every age group.”
In a September 2025 interview with The Independent, Rogers reflected on his growth at Aston Villa and described where he now feels most at home on the pitch.
“I think if you asked me that a year, two years ago, I would probably say no,” he said of playing centrally. “But I think the way I’ve developed at Villa, I’ve become more comfortable in that position.”
Rogers added: “That’s my most comfortable position, but I’m pretty comfortable in all positions. I don’t mind where I play as long as I’m on that pitch trying to improve.”
Speaking to the BBC in January 2026, Rogers outlined just how versatile he considers himself to be across the attacking positions available to any manager.
“I like to see myself as someone that can do different things on the pitch,” he said. “When asked, I can be a number 10, I can be a winger, I can be a striker.”
He continued: “If you ask me to do it and you give me the instructions to do it, I think I’ve got the capabilities to offer something different to maybe what other people don’t have.”
Alonso is set to take charge of his first game at Stamford Bridge next month, at which point his preferred system and Rogers’ exact role within it will become much clearer.
