Morgan Rogers: Aston Villa sign forward from Middlesbrough
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Morgan Rogers started for Middlesbrough in their 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa in the FA Cup in January
Aston Villa have signed forward Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough.
The transfer fee for the 21-year-old, who plays predominantly as a winger, is £8m plus add-ons which may rise to £15m.
Rogers has scored seven goals and made nine assists in 33 games for Championship club Boro this season.
The England Under-20s international moved to Riverside Stadium from Manchester City for £1.5m on a four-year deal last July.
Middlesbrough rejected three bids from Aston Villa before agreeing on a price for Rogers.
Manchester City will receive a proportion of that money, having negotiated a 25% sell-on fee from any Boro profit.
Speaking following Villa's 3-1 home defeat by Newcastle on Tuesday, manager Unai Emery said: "We are motivated and excited to work with [Rogers] and hopefully he can progress here like we think he will do."
Villa have also brought in Australia keeper Joe Gauci from Adelaide United for an undisclosed fee.
The 23-year old is with his country at the Asian Cup in Qatar and will join up with the Midlands club after the tournament, subject to international clearance and obtaining a visa.
Meanwhile, Villa forward Bertrand Traore has joined La Liga club Villarreal on a free transfer after terminating his contract.
Villa signed Traore, 28, from Lyon for £17m in September 2020 but he has had mixed fortunes with form and fitness since arriving in the Premier League and was told he could leave by Emery.
Traore, who started his senior career at Chelsea, figured regularly after being signed by then manager Dean Smith but struggled for game time under his successor Steven Gerrard and subsequently Emery.
The Burkina Faso captain signed a season-long loan with Istanbul Basaksehir in August 2022 after being marginalised at Villa. Now reports in Spain suggest he is on the verge of moving to Villarreal, who are 14th in the Spanish top flight.
Aston Villa's 20-year-old midfielder Tommi O'Reilly and 18-year-old defender Josh Feeney have joined Real Union for the remainder of the season.
Villa have a partnership with the Spanish side and Emery has a majority stake in the club.
Aston Villa are fourth in the Premier League, five points off the top despite winning just one of their past four league matches.
They also remain in the FA Cup, with a fourth-round replay against Chelsea to come, and are through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League.
Earlier in January, Villa signed defender Kosta Nedeljkovic for an undisclosed fee from Red Star Belgrade.
But Emery said on Tuesday he does not expect his club to do any more business before the winter transfer deadline for Premier League clubs on Thursday at 23:00 GMT.
Bertrand Traore has left the West Midlands side to join Villarreal for the rest of the season.
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