IF world champions Chelsea sign Morgan Rogers, they will fancy their chances of becoming the kings of England too.
And perhaps one of the most English squads to lift the title in the cosmopolitan Premier League era.
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When England boss Thomas Tuchel took his squad to the Spanish Grand Prix before their World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona, Blues’ quintet Cole Palmer, Reece James, Levi Colwill, Noni Madueke and Trevoh Chalobah were all together on one table.
Aston Villa star Rogers sat nearby with Jude Bellingham, but by the time of the next international break he could be invited to join the Blues brothers.
Chelsea don’t just have a policy of signing young talent.
There is a clear drive to bring in English stars as they try to bring back the days when John Terry, Frank Lampard and the Coles – Ashley and Joe – were central to turning the club into domestic and European heavyweights.
The Blues have already signed England Under-21 internationals Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens this summer.
And while it is true that Madueke is set to leave, and Chalobah may follow, along with another Englishman in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, plenty of homegrown influence will remain.
Tosin Adarabioyo is a former England youth international, while teenage Academy products Tyrique George, Josh Acheampong and Omari Kellyman have all represented England at junior level.
After last weekend’s Club World Cup win, Colwill spoke about how the strong bond between Enzo Maresca’s players and the renewal of a Chelsea identity recalled the days of Terry, Lampard and fellow Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
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Colwill was bullish about the team’s chances of adding further big trophies to the first silverware under the new owners.
And signing Rogers would no doubt boost his and the fans’ confidence.
There are plenty of hurdles to overcome before that.
Not least Villa’s desire to avoid, if at all possible, having to cash in on their best player.
But once these things are out in the open, and when the potential buyers know the potential sellers need to raise money, a deal can start to gain momentum.
Rogers, too, may feel that the time is right to make his next move, even after less than 18 months at Villa Park.
The failure to secure a return to the Champions League was a big blow for the club.
But Rogers’ performances in the competition last season will have given him a taste for it and the belief that he could force his way into Chelsea’s already star-studded frontline.
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Palmer is the Blues’ main man and he and Rogers are close after growing up together in Manchester City’s Academy.
Palmer has admitted nicking his trademark “cold” celebration from Rogers.
But he would no doubt give his former team-mate a warm welcome to London.
They would not be the only former City youngsters to pitch up at Stamford Bridge.
Tosin was there between the ages of six and 23, Gittens had two years in the academy in his mid-teens before joining Borussia Dortmund and Delap played under Maresca when the current Chelsesa boss was in charge of City’s B team.
If Chelsea were to become regular contenders for football’s biggest prizes, questions would be asked about City’s readiness to sell homegrown English stars.
Chelsea emulating Man City
One of the few things that Pep Guardiola and former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho have ever agreed on is the importance of native players to creating champions.
During City’s dominance of English football, it is surely no coincidence that their players have also been prominent in the revival of the national team.
Kyle Walker, John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph were part of the England squad that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finalS.
Phil Foden replaced Delph as the City contingent stayed at four for the delayed Euro 2020 tournament.
Eighteen months later at the Qatar World Cup, there were five: Stones, Walker, Foden, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips.
Foden, Stones and Walker were all at Euro 2024, too.
Now Chelsea’s young English contingent are set to be the core of international squads for years to come.
Former Blues boss Tuchel’s first task is to try to make the Three Lions into world champions next year.
If Chelsea can add Rogers to their ranks, he and his new club-mates could go to the World Cup as Premier League winners.
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