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Manchester United could once again miss out on a major transfer target to rivals Manchester City, as the Premier League champions appear to have a significant advantage in the race to sign Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, according to transfer insiders.

Since his arrival at Aston Villa in 2024, Rogers has quickly become one of the Premier League’s standout forwards, combining his dribbling ability with an eye for goal that has made him one of England’s most exciting attacking prospects.

The England international is expected to feature prominently for the Three Lions at the upcoming World Cup this month. However, his long-term future in Birmingham remains uncertain once the tournament in North America concludes.

Despite Unai Emery’s side securing the Europa League title – with Rogers scoring in their 3-0 triumph over Freiburg – and clinching a fourth-place finish in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League, the 23-year-old is reportedly eager for a new challenge.

While the club would prefer to keep their top talent at Villa Park, Emery is said to regard the Halesowen-born attacker as his key player. Yet there is an increasing belief that the summer window presents the right time to capitalise on his value, particularly as Villa face growing financial concerns off the pitch.

This has triggered interest from nearly every elite club in England, as well as European champions Paris Saint-Germain, with Villa hoping to encourage a bidding war over the highly rated forward.

Manchester United are among the leading contenders for Rogers’ signature, with executives at Old Trafford identifying him as a potential long-term successor to Bruno Fernandes.

Rogers’ adaptability – able to operate as a central forward or on the left flank – would allow him to feature alongside Fernandes initially before eventually stepping into the No.10 role once the Portuguese maestro moves on.

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City have also entered the chase for Rogers, with all three clubs having already held preliminary discussions.

Transfer journalist Ben Jacobs has confirmed Manchester United’s interest and revealed that a deal in the region of £80 million is “expected,” describing it as one that “suits all parties.” He also suggested that Villa might finalise the sale “before the World Cup” if a suitable offer arrives.

Significantly, talkSPORT has reported that Manchester City still possess a buy-back clause for Rogers. The clause stems from when the club sold him to Middlesbrough in 2023, before he had made a senior appearance for the Etihad side. It was at Middlesbrough, under the management of Michael Carrick, that Rogers truly blossomed and attracted Villa’s attention.

Interestingly, Jason Wilcox, who previously served as City’s academy director and was responsible for bringing Rogers to Manchester from West Bromwich Albion in 2019, is now Manchester United’s sporting director. He, along with Carrick, is said to remain a strong admirer of the player.

Jacobs has also reported that City have “held a conversation about potentially triggering” the buy-back clause, although “nothing is advancing yet.” Rogers, however, is believed to be open to returning to his former club if the opportunity arises.

Rogers fits the profile of the kind of player INEOS are targeting at United – young, ambitious, adaptable, and already proven in the Premier League. A new left-sided attacker is high on the club’s transfer agenda to provide greater balance to Carrick’s attack, making the 6’2” forward one of their primary targets. Sources close to the player suggest he is “very open” to a move to Old Trafford.

However, City’s unique advantage – their buy-back clause, which Football365 notes is unusual as such clauses typically apply only to direct transfers like Rogers’ move from Middlesbrough – gives them the upper hand over United in the battle for another English talent. The Premier League champions already seem to have edged ahead in the race for Elliot Anderson, and Rogers could be next.