Under Xabi's guidance, Rogers will shine brightly.

The focus of Chelsea's last friendly before Real Sociedad was not Joao Pedro, but the newcomer Morgan Rogers. Within only 11 minutes, the 24-year-old demonstrated why Chelsea was ready to pay as much as £117 million to acquire him from Aston Villa.

After a successful 2026 World Cup with the England national team, Rogers' status has been elevated. When he was named in the starting lineup for the friendly against Real Sociedad, many awaited the answer to the question: Why was Xabi Alonso's team ready to break the transfer record just to sign a 24-year-old?

A quality asset for Chelsea.

The opening goal in the 11th minute was not a particularly beautiful strike by Rogers. However, the situation demonstrated his positioning and goal-scoring instincts, after Joao Pedro's header was blocked.

Chelsea spent a huge amount on Rogers not simply to increase attacking depth. Alonso already has many quality wingers like Cole Palmer, Estevao, Jamie Gittens, and Pedro Neto. Rogers brings what Alonso's attack is still searching for: a powerful winger who plays directly and is ready to become a fearsome attacking threat in the opponent's penalty area.

That goal was also Rogers' quality response to criticism from former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson, who claimed that Alonso's team was wasting money by spending heavily on a player who is not yet a top star of the England national team.

Looking back at the past, Chelsea spending over £100 million on high-potential players is not uncommon under Todd Boehly. The central midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo cost a total of £221 million in the two transfer windows of 2023. Boehly's Chelsea has had its share of disappointing deals, but Enzo and Caicedo have been worthy investments, as both have significantly upgraded the midfield over the past three seasons.

With Rogers, not many expect him to transform Chelsea's attack in the way Enzo and Caicedo changed the midfield. However, his first goal at Stamford Bridge shows that Chelsea did not overpay when they snatched Rogers from Arsenal's grasp. The London club had pursued the 24-year-old for a long time but ultimately failed due to lack of decisiveness compared to their city rivals.

Will it be the Rogers-Palmer-Pedro trio?

The friendly against Real Sociedad was the last chance for Alonso to finalize his squad before the Premier League opener against Fulham next Monday night. Judging by this performance, one can easily envision Chelsea's attacking structure with the trio of Cole Palmer, Pedro, and Rogers.

Except for Palmer, who has yet to regain form after a disappointing season, Pedro and Rogers have shown they are ready for the task of bringing goals in the new season. This could well become a promising duo: Pedro is the type of striker willing to drop deep to participate in build-up play, while Rogers tends to move quickly forward, occupying ideal positions to finish.

Another factor that makes Rogers a dangerous card in Alonso's hand is his positional flexibility. Chelsea brought him from Aston Villa with a clear plan for the left winger position. However, Rogers can also be dangerous when playing on the right wing, as a number 10, or as a false 9.

14 goals and 12 assists for Aston Villa are evidence of the 24-year-old's ability to directly create scoring opportunities. This is a particularly important quality for Alonso to find a way to break through deep-lying defenses.

In recent seasons, Chelsea has often dropped points due to being stuck against inferior opponents who deliberately play multi-layered defense. Rogers can bring the necessary qualities to break this style: speed, progressive passes, and variety in finishing options, from long-range shots to the ability to penetrate the penalty area.

The goal against Real Sociedad is just the beginning, but it is enough to create high expectations for Rogers. Under Alonso's guidance, Stamford Bridge could become the stage for the young English striker to truly shine.