Former Middlesbrough F.C. manager Michael Carrick has admitted he had doubts about Morgan Rogers’ move to Aston Villa F.C. when the transfer was completed in January 2024.
Rogers joined Middlesbrough from Manchester City F.C. in the summer of 2023. The attacking midfielder had previously shown promise during a successful loan spell with Lincoln City F.C., though earlier stints with AFC Bournemouth and Blackpool F.C. had not produced the same impact.
However, the Halesowen-born midfielder quickly made his mark on Teesside. After an impressive first half of the season, his performances attracted the attention of Aston Villa, who moved swiftly to bring him to Villa Park. Since then, Rogers has developed into a key figure for the Midlands club and has also begun to establish himself on the international stage.
Speaking ahead of a clash between Manchester United F.C. and Aston Villa, Carrick admitted he was initially unsure whether the move would be the right step for the young midfielder.
“He had the initial signing in January and I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go,” Carrick said, as quoted by Teesside Live.
“It was a big step for him. He hadn’t played for an awful long time at Middlesbrough, so I felt he might have benefited from a little bit more time. But as soon as he went to Aston Villa, he took huge steps and became a major part of their team and also the England setup.”
Rogers’ rise since leaving Middlesbrough has been remarkable. Although there was excitement around his potential, few expected him to adapt to the Premier League so quickly.
Now a regular under Villa manager Unai Emery, the 23-year-old has become one of the club’s standout performers. During the 2025/26 season, Rogers has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.
Alongside fellow Manchester City academy graduates Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, Rogers is now widely regarded as one of England’s most exciting attacking midfield talents.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough continue to focus on developing young players who can thrive at the club before earning moves to top sides. The model has already produced success stories, and the club hopes others will follow the same path.
Academy graduate Hayden Hackney is currently one of the standout prospects on Teesside, while players such as Adilson Malanda, Aidan Morris and Morgan Whittaker are also considered valuable assets.
Young talents including Leo Castledine and Finley Munroe are also expected to be ones to watch in the coming years as Middlesbrough aim to produce the next player capable of following in Rogers’ footsteps. ⚽
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