Chelsea will reportedly focus on a deal to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa if they are unable to complete a transfer for Xavi Simons.
The Blues have agreed personal terms with RB Leipzig star Simons and the Netherlands international is thought to be keen on a move to west London.
But Chelsea and RB Leipzig have been unable to agree on a transfer fee, with Manchester City thought to have made an attempt to hijack the deal.
German side RB Leipzig have warned Chelsea that they will not back down on their €70m (£60.4m) asking price for Simons as negotiations continue.
It is believed Simons could stay at Leipzig if Chelsea are unwilling to pay that much for him, with less than two weeks left in the summer window.
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Should Chelsea fail in their attempt to recruit Simons, the Blues may decide to turn their attentions towards Villa star Rogers instead.
Rogers is ‘highly rated by decision-makers at Stamford Bridge’, according to The Athletic.
Other outlets have claimed that Villa have slapped a £100m price on Rogers – making him more expensive than Simons.
The Sun reported in July that Chelsea had made Rogers a ‘top target’ in the summer transfer window, with Villa requesting over £80m for him.
Rogers shined for Villa in the Premier League last season, conjuring up eight goals and 11 assists across 37 top-flight matches.
The 23-year-old England international also scored four times and provided four assists in 12 Champions League games in the 2024-25 campaign.
Rogers normally plays as an attacking midfielder but can also be deployed as a right winger or left winger.
Roberto Di Matteo believes Rogers could make a ‘real difference’ at Chelsea if he joins the club before the window closes on September 1.
‘Morgan Rogers really seemed to enjoy the Champions League last season,’ Di Matteo told BetVictor, who offer the latest online casino games.
‘There are a lot of rumours about him, he has a lot of suitors, I think Chelsea are one of the clubs looking at him, let’s watch this space.
‘He is a very exciting player and another one that can make a real difference within the team.
‘However, Aston Villa will want to keep Morgan Rogers, that’s for sure. He will be the last player they want to sell.
‘Having said that, you need to look at the books sometimes as well, we don’t have all the information from outside and the financial situation of the club. Sometimes you have to sacrifice one player for the good of the whole team and the club. So we’ll see.’