Rogers completed a club-record £117million move from Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge last week, signing a seven-year contract until 2033. The 24-year-old has not, however, travelled as part of the 28-man Chelsea squad for their pre-season tour as he takes an extended break following the end of the World Cup. Rogers was part of Thomas Tuchel’s England group that finished third in North America, starting and registering a fine assist in the 2-1 semi-final defeat by Argentina. He will join up with Chelsea when they return to Cobham next month, and Alonso says he has no doubts that the most expensive British footballer in history will be ready for the start of the new campaign.
The reported £117 million transfer fee makes the 24-year-old the most expensive British player in history, a significant investment for a club looking to rebuild after finishing 10th in the Premier League last season.
“When we started talking, we wanted to build a competitive squad, and you need players who can have that almost instant impact, and I’m sure Morgan won’t need much time to adapt to the club, to the system, to his team-mates,” Alonso said.
Rogers can play through the middle and on the right of Chelsea’s attack, but it is understood the majority of his minutes will come from the left-hand side, where he has made a reputation for cutting in and scoring goals off his favoured right foot.