Aston Villa signs João Gomes as star Morgan Rogers completes British record move to Chelsea

Aston Villa signed Brazilian midfielder João Gomes on Monday, July 20, 2026, investing some of the money the Europa League winner would have received for the English transfer record sale of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.

Villa did not disclose the 35 million pound ($47 million) transfer fee it paid to relegated Wolverhampton for 25-year-old Gomes.

It comes days after Gomes signed Johan Manzambi for a club-record fee of more than £50 million ($67 million) from Freiburg following the spectacular World Cup with Switzerland.

Gomes has played 10 times for Brazil, although not for current manager Carlo Ancelotti. He last took part in the World Cup qualifying match in March last year, which Argentina won 4-1.

Also on Monday, Villa star Rogers completed a £117 million (US$157.4 million) move to Chelsea after returning from the World Cup with England.

Villa coach Unai Emery will lead his team into the Premier League and Champions League campaigns with major changes in midfield.

Youri Tielemans has left to join Manchester United in a £35 million (US$47 million) transfer and his Belgian teammate Amadou Onana will be sidelined for months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the 4-1 win over the United States in the World Cup.

United States-backed Villa’s profits from transfer deals will help comply with financial monitoring rules after they were fined repeatedly by UEFA.

UEFA imposed a fine of 7.5 million euros ($8.6 million) last month and 11 million euros ($12.6 million) a year ago.

Villa must have earned around 40 million euros (US$45.7 million) in prize money from UEFA to win the Europa League title and could double that figure from Champions League matches starting in September.

The club will also lose income next season by closing one end of Villa Park during construction work that will increase the capacity to over 50,000 before hosting the 2028 European Championship matches.