Paul Merson has launched a sharp critique of Chelsea's £117m pursuit of Morgan Rogers, insisting the deal makes little sense given that Cole Palmer already occupies the same position at Stamford Bridge.

Rogers is set to become the most expensive British footballer in history after agreeing to leave Aston Villa for Chelsea this summer. The deal includes a six-year contract, with an option for a further year.

Merson's concern: where does Rogers actually play?

The former Arsenal forward, writing in his column for Sky Sports, pulled no punches. "Crazy money," Merson wrote. "Bringing Morgan Rogers in for £117m isn't what Chelsea needed. They've got Cole Palmer — they play in the same position. Rogers went to the World Cup instead of Palmer, because they play in the same position."

Merson acknowledged one scenario in which the signing could work — Chelsea selling Enzo Fernandez, repositioning Moises Caicedo as the holding midfielder, and deploying Rogers and Palmer ahead of him. But he pointed to a further complication: Joao Pedro is also a natural No 10, leaving Chelsea with a surplus in that area.

"Where's Palmer going to be? Stuck out on the right again? He's wasted in that position," Merson said. "And if Rogers is played out on the right — no disrespect, but there are a lot better right wingers than him out there."

Merson also warned that the style of opposition Chelsea typically face at Stamford Bridge — teams that sit deep and deny space — does not suit Rogers, whose best football comes in open, broken play where he can run at defenders.

"He won't get that at Chelsea," Merson wrote. "Opposition teams kick off and sit 10 behind the ball. There's no space."

He drew a comparison with the arrivals of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, both of whom moved for around £100m and silenced critics by performing consistently. "That's what Rogers has got to hope for," Merson said, adding that Rogers faces a harder task because he will be judged primarily on goals and assists — "the hardest job in the world."

Arsenal must now pivot to Doue or Barcola

Merson suggested Rogers chose Chelsea over Arsenal because the Blues promised him the No 10 role, while Arsenal would have asked him to play on the left wing. He believes that distinction proved decisive.

"One team looks like they're going to win the Premier League again this year and have a good chance in the UEFA Champions League, and one team isn't even in Europe," he added, questioning why Rogers would favour Chelsea on footballing grounds alone.

With Rogers now off the table, Merson urged Arsenal to move quickly for a winger — specifically Desire Doue or Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. He was equally baffled by Arsenal's decision to sell Leandro Trossard, describing the fee as negligible for a player who delivered in crucial fixtures at the end of last season.

A damaging summer for Aston Villa

Merson reserved some of his sharpest words for the situation unfolding at Aston Villa. Having won a European trophy and secured a UEFA Champions League place in a remarkable campaign, the club now faces the loss of what he considers its two most important players.

"They've lost their two best players in Youri Tielemans and Rogers — their two most creative players have left," he wrote. Merson argued that if Unai Emery had been asked whom to protect, Tielemans and Rogers would have been last on any sell list.

He also raised the possibility of Ezri Konsa following them out of the door, with both Arsenal and Chelsea reportedly interested in the defender. On incoming signings, Merson questioned whether Johan Manzambi and — with reference to Arsenal — Christos Tzolis attracted serious interest from elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool.