Aston Villa line up move to sign £30m midfielder

Aston Villa are riding the crest of a wave under Unai Emery’s wing, but the Midlands side know that their elation following the success of the 2025/26 campaign could be tempered by the budding Morgan Rogers saga.

Nothing in football is ever certain, but it does appear that the England international is looking to complete a big-money move away from Villa Park this summer, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that Arsenal are interested and making progress in early negotiations with representatives.

If the attacker does leave, he will leave for a pretty penny indeed, having played an instrumental role in securing two loads of Champions League football in recent years, also taking centre stage when Aston Villa won the Europa League last month, scoring against Freiburg in the final.

Emery and the powers that be at NSWE will need to find a top-class number ten to fit into Rogers’ boots, but they also need to plan for the future, strengthening other areas of the midfield.

Aston Villa join race for in-demand prospect

Rogers has been immense for Aston Villa and for Emery over the past several years, but his success is built atop a strong and secure midfield that the manager needs to cement for many years.

Youri Tielemans, for example, has become something of a mastermind in the middle for the Midlands side, but aged 29 and with only two years remaining on his current deal, the Villans need to start planning ahead.

It may seem like Aston Villa have time on their hands, but they need to be prudent if they wish to stay among England’s elite. The likes of Leicester City and Newcastle United have tasted elite status but failed to shatter the big-six hegemony.

Perhaps this is why NSWE have entered the tightly-packed race for Belgian midfielder Nathan De Cat, according to TEAMtalkwith the teenager establishing himself at Anderlecht over the past year.

The 17-year-old probably isn’t ready to assume a talismanic role at the heart of Emery’s Villa midfield, but he is undoubtedly a potential superstar, with his Belgian employers demanding at least £30m for his signature this summer.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are currently ahead in the race, with both outfits having opened talks with the player’s entourage. A host of further European sides are also keen.

Why De Cat can be Aston Villa’s Tielemans heir

De Cat might be young, but he has already established himself in his homeland, featuring prominently in the Pro League across the 2025/26 season after making four substitute appearances the campaign before.

Waxing lyrical, talent scout Jacek Kulig said this: “The Belgian midfielder plays with the maturity and composure of someone far beyond his years. He has all the tools to become a leader at an absolute top club one day.” Further compliments come from European football expert Bence Bocsak, who labelled him as “one of the best young midfielders in Europe.”

De Cat is unquestionably skilled, and given that he is performing at such a prodigious level, he could even emulate Tielemans in breaking into the big time way ahead of schedule.

Tielemans was also considered something of a prodigy when cutting his teeth at Anderlecht, who he played for across four senior seasons after emerging from the academy. He moved to Monaco before finding a home with Leicester in the Premier League, finally reaching his career apotheosis with Emery at Villa Park.

Now, Villa hope to bypass all the intervening years with De Cat by bringing him over now and developing him themselves, opening up a pathway to superstardom in one of the most robust and secure outfits in Europe, let alone England.

Aston Villa have basked in the success of becoming champions over the past several weeks, but Emery now needs to do something even more difficult – sustain this level at the top of the English game, while cementing themselves in the Champions League.

It’s going to require a Herculean effort, and in the long run, a talent such as De Cat could make a big difference, especially when Tielemans bows out.