Arsenal’s £117m Rogers miss leaves Wright gutted and Arteta uneasy

Arsenal missed out on Morgan Rogers as he completed a £117 million move to Chelsea, leaving former Gunners striker Ian Wright “gutted” and Mikel Arteta reportedly “not happy” with the summer window after weeks of leading the race for the English winger.

Arsenal’s summer target hunt

The North Londoners were keen to add another attacking talent after securing an early deal for Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, and they kept Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez at the top of their shortlist. Wright said the club had been searching for a left‑sided forward to complement the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz, all of whom had returned to the squad. The Gunners also chased Vinicius Junior – nicknamed Vini – “until the end of the earth”,

Consequences for Gunners and Blues

Wright told The Overlap: “It’s not a disastrous window but if I’m Mikel, I wouldn’t be happy with how this window has gone simply because we’ve gone another window where we have not got that forward.” He added that Chelsea “thought, well if you’re not going to pay it, we’ll pay it”, underscoring the £117 million fee that sealed Rogers’ departure. Arsenal still bolstered the squad with Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa, yet the lack of a specialist winger remained a glaring omission.

Arsenal face Chelsea next weekend in the Premier League, and former striker Peter Crouch predicts a 3‑2 victory for the Blues. Wright also recalled how a La Liga side had been linked with the Gunners on deadline day, highlighting the competitive pressure on Arsenal’s transfer agenda. The missed signing, Wright warned, could come back to haunt the Gunners as they chase another title tilt.

For Chelsea, the arrival of Morgan Rogers adds a dynamic option on the left flank, complementing their existing attacking stock. For Arsenal, Wright’s disappointment mirrors Arteta’s reported frustration, and the club now must rely on existing players to fill the creative gap left by the £117 million loss.