Chelsea plotting £110m double deal after Morgan Rogers transfer as second Arsenal hijack planned
Chelsea are planning to complete a double transfer worth £110 million after completing their British record move for Morgan Rogers, it has been reported.
Rogers joined Chelsea from Aston Villa on Tuesday, signing a six-year contract with the option of an additional year.
The 23-year-old becomes the most expensive British player in history, with the £117 million deal surpassing the £116m that Manchester City paid to sign Elliot Anderson earlier this summer.
Arsenal were planning to hold talks with Villa over Rogers this week but, according to Fabrizio Romano, were not willing to bid over £100m.
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They ultimately pulled out of the race after Chelsea's bid was accepted on Saturday.
The Blues may now pull off a second Arsenal hijack involving Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
There have been contrasting reports over Magpies captain Guimaraes' future, with reports earlier this month stating that he had told Newcastle chiefs of his desire to leave the club this summer.
READ MORE: Arsenal could use three players in swap deal for Bruno Guimaraes this summer
But the Gunners have yet to make direct contact and, as per Sky Sports News, have angered Newcastle by 'exploring the conditions of a deal through intermediaries'.
According to journalist Simon Phillips, that has allowed the Blues to swoop with a bid for the £80m-rated Guimaraes, with the club said to have 'big' plans to bolster their midfield this summer under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Now, The Telegraph report that Chelsea are also focusing on strengthening in wide areas, with Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid Kerim Alajbegovic.
The 18-year-old, who played for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup, spent last season at Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg after Leverkusen sold him for an undisclosed fee.
The club have now brought him back to Germany, with Alajbegovic having come through Leverkusen's youth academy.
He was rising through the youth ranks when Alonso was in charge at Leverkusen, and the Spaniard is said to be 'enthusiastic' about the prospect of signing the forward for Chelsea.
He is said to be valued at around £30 million, with Chelsea currently favourites to sign him.
But the Bosnian international has also been linked with moves to Juventus, AC Milan and Atalanta, all of whom are keen on signing him.
Who Chelsea have signed so far this summer
Chelsea's deal for Rogers has brought their summer signing count up to five, with the former Aston Villa star comfortably the most expensive at £117 million.
Right-sided defender Marco Palestra has arrived from Atalanta for a fee of around £43 million, with the Italy youth international also capable of playing on the left flank.
Striker Emmanuel Emegha has arrived from Strasbourg, and winger Geovany Quenda has signed from Sporting Lisbon.
Finally, striker Dastan Satpayev - formerly of Kazakh side Kairat Almaty - will join the club when he turns 18 in August.
Marc Cucurella has left Chelsea to join Real Madrid. At the same time, Everton have signed winger Tyrique George permanently after he spent the second half of last season on loan at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Topics: Chelsea, Premier League, Arsenal, Transfer News
Ryan Smart