Richard Hughes has already signed Morgan Rogers

There's a lot of talk about Morgan Rogers at the moment and Richard Hughes had already signed him once before.

Moving for the England international makes a lot of sense on paper for the Reds.

First and foremost, Rogers fits the physical and athletic mould Liverpool consistently look for. At 6ft plus, he is powerful in transition and comfortable carrying the ball over distances. He offers exactly what Liverpool are missing at the moment in their transitions.

Liverpool have long valued attackers who can break lines with direct running and Slot has yearned for his kind of player for most of the season. Rogers’ ability to drive through midfield or isolate defenders one-v-one makes him a natural fit for that style.

Versatility is another major factor. Rogers can operate as a left winger, right winger, attacking midfielder or even in a more central role behind the striker. That tactical flexibility is crucial for a squad competing across multiple competitions. At Liverpool, Arne Slot's side are lacking in all areas of the pitch that Rogers plays in so this could be a bit of a two or even three-in-one signing.

There's the age factor as well. Rogers is 23-years-old, he is hitting the prime of his career and his profile fits perfectly with the current Liverpool squad Hughes is looking to build.

Then there is another even more fascinating aspect. Hughes and Rogers go back a long time. The Liverpool sporting director had him on his radar long before he was even at Anfield.

In the summer of 2021 Hughes signed Rogers on loan from Manchester City for Bournemouth.

The deal was seen as a smart piece of business, Rogers had been in brilliant form in League One at Lincoln City and Hughes saw him as the ideal profile for Bournemouth's attack.

However, what was hoped to be a breakout season didn’t quite unfold as planned. Rogers featured mainly from the bench, with his opportunities limited by a settled starting line-up and the competitive nature of the promotion race. He managed only a handful of starts - just one league start during that campaign - and found it difficult to consistently influence games in the way many had expected.

Ultimately, it would be much later that Rogers would have his breakthrough moment, and the rest is history. He's now one of the best English players in the Premier League.

But the fact that Hughes' relationship with Rogers stretches back so far does makes us think that there could be more to him and Liverpool.

Liverpool have been linked with Rogers recently.

In elite recruitment, familiarity can be a powerful advantage. Liverpool often sign players they've had on their radar for a long time.

Despite struggling for starts during Bournemouth’s promotion push, Rogers showed flashes of composure on the ball and a willingness to take responsibility in tight spaces.

It wasn't the right time for him, but Hughes' belief in him to take him on loan at such a young age showed how much trust he had in Rogers.

When you work in that environment, you all have favourite players you admire. Perhaps for Hughes this could be Rogers, and that is why he's now looking to sign him at Liverpool as well.

If it does happen, you can bet on it being far more successful than Rogers' first spell with Hughes.

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