West Brom academy let down yet again as David Ornstein details Aston Villa January transfer move
Aston Villa have made an offer to sign former West Brom academy star Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough in the January transfer window, according to David Ornstein.
The Athletic journalist reported on 18 January that Unai Emery is keen on the deal, in a move which shows yet again how much the West Brom academy has been let down.
Rogers, who scored the winner against West Brom for Middlesbrough earlier this season, is said to be excited about the potential of a move to Villa Park.
If this deal goes through, Rogers will be the latest in a line of West Brom academy graduates to make the switch to Villa Park, following the likes of highly-rated Louie Barry, Tim Iroegbunam and Rico Richards in recent years.
While Rogers look the long route from The Hawthorns to Villa Park via Manchester and Middlesbrough, he has followed the path of the former-Baggies youngsters in a worrying trend for the club.
Rogers himself, of course, was poached from Albion’s academy by Manchester City as they saw the potential of what he could still be. It is a concern at West Brom that their best academy products are continually poached before they get their chance at The Hawthorns.
The West Brom Academy was long-regarded as the best in the West Midlands, and one of the best in the country, before Aston Villa moved to poach some of Albion’s senior staff in 2019.
Manager Mark Harrison left after 13 years, while scout Steve Hopcroft also made the switch in a huge reshuffle for both clubs and since that time things have never quite been the same, with Rogers the latest player who should be plying his trade for Albion smashing it elsewhere.
Those at the top of the club will surely regret the changes made, although the academy does still produce exciting players including Tom Fellows who has broken through this season, and seeing Rogers potentially lining up for Villa in the Premier League should sting.
In other West Brom news, Tom Ross reacted to the latest takeover update.
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