Morgan Rogers told he doesn’t have the ‘soul’ of a Man Utd player after Red Devils linked with transfers swoop for high-flying Aston Villa star

Rogers has long been linked with many Premier League giants, with United often urged to snap him up. Following a meteoric rise under Unai Emery at Villa Park, the 22-year-old has established himself as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the Premier League. His blend of power, direct dribbling, and creative vision has naturally drawn the gaze of the hierarchy at Old Trafford, who are desperate to inject dynamism into a stuttering attack.

However, Yorke, a man uniquely positioned to understand the journey between Villa Park and the Theatre of Dreams, has urged caution. Speaking to FootItalia, the former Trinidad and Tobago international expressed significant scepticism regarding the potential transfer. He argues that technical ability alone is insufficient to thrive under the intense scrutiny that accompanies wearing the famous red shirt.

“There are a few candidates out there, but I can see why Morgan Rogers is mentioned,” Yorke said. “He is the flavour of the month at the moment, and everyone is trying to pounce on that.”

The crux of Yorke’s concern lies not in the physical attributes of the Villa star, who has seven league goals to his name this season, but in the intangible qualities required to survive at an elite level. United have become something of a graveyard for high-profile attacking talent in the post-Ferguson era, with numerous big-money signings shrinking under the spotlight.

Yorke believes that recruitment must look beyond the stat sheet. “I'm not really a great believer in that,” he continued. “I look a little bit deeper into the soul of the player to see if he will really fulfil that sort of area when it comes to United, because of the magnitude of the team he is going to play for.”

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It is perhaps unfair to judge Rogers too harshly given the speed of his ascent. Only a few years ago, he was navigating loan spells in the lower leagues from Manchester City’s academy. His permanent move to Middlesbrough was the catalyst for his career, catching the eye of Emery, who brought him to the Midlands in January 2024.

Since then, Rogers has looked at home in the Premier League and the Champions League, bullying defenders and linking play with a maturity beyond his years. His performances for Villa have been instrumental in their challenge for the top four, making him exactly the profile of player INEOS and the United recruitment team are targeting: young, English, and on an upward trajectory.

Yet, the jump from being a standout performer in a well-oiled Villa machine to being the saviour of a disjointed United side is vast. The pressure at Old Trafford is suffocating, and the patience of the fanbase is often thin.A warning from history

Yorke’s comments serve as a timely reminder of the perils of buying players at peak market value based on a short sample size of success. The retired striker knows exactly what it takes to make that specific transition, having moved from Villa to United in 1998 to become a key part of the greatest side in the club's history.

He implies that unless Rogers has that rare "soul" he risks becoming another expensive footnote in United’s recent history of transfer failures. While the Villa man has done everything right on the pitch to earn the links, the scrutiny of legends like Yorke proves that the audition for a move to Manchester starts long before a bid is even submitted. The question remains whether the Red Devils will heed this advice or push ahead for the season’s breakout star.