Ex-Blackpool and AFC Bournemouth loanee selected for England after going down in European history

Morgan Rogers will represent England at this summer’s World Cup - three years on from a difficult loan spell with Blackpool.

During his stint at Bloomfield Road back in 2023, the 23-year-old was part of the Seasiders squad that suffered relegation from the Championship.

His time in Tangerine saw him post one goal and one assist in 22 outings, as he worked under Michael Appleton, Mick McCarthy and Stephen Dobbie.

The spell on the Fylde Coast ultimately brought an end to his time on the books of Manchester City, with the Citizens selling him to Middlesbrough after spending the previous seasons on loan with Lincoln City and AFC Bournemouth.

It was while at the Riverside Stadium, the youngster caught the eye of Aston Villa.

After scoring seven goals and providing nine assists for the North Yorkshire outfit in the Championship, Rogers was snapped up by Unai Emery’s side - where he has proven to be a sensation.

In 125 appearances for Villa so far, he has found the back of the net 31 times and provided 29 assists - with four of his goals coming in last season’s Champions League.

His most recent strike came in Villa’s 3-0 victory over Freiburg to lift the Europa League on Wednesday night, as he became the youngest Englishman since Steven Gerrard to score in a major European final.

Rogers’ performances over the last few years have seen him represent England on 13 occasions, with more caps set to come his way over the next few months following his inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

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