Why Rogers' £117m Chelsea transfer is high risk, but Anderson's £116m move to City isn't

The transfer record for a British footballer has been smashed twice in the space of three weeks: First Manchester City struck a £116 million deal to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, then Chelsea agreed a £117 million deal for Aston Villa attacker Morgan Rogers.

Both players are English, 23 years old, have been mainstays in the England national team since Thomas Tuchel took over in 2025, and they enjoyed stellar seasons for their respective clubs. Anderson played a big part in saving Forest from relegation, while Rogers powered Villa to a fourth-place finish (and a spot in the UEFA Champions League) and scored a goal to help the club win the UEFA Europa League final.