Aston Villa's set-piece coach Austin MacPhee in talks with Chelsea
Aston Villa's highly regarded set-piece coach Austin MacPhee is in talks with Chelsea, with the Premier League club facing competition from other top-flight sides and Saudi Pro League teams. Villa would be due compensation for MacPhee, whose contract includes a specified release clause.
What happened?
The 46-year-old Scottish coach has combined his role at Villa Park with a similar position with the Portugal national team for the past five years under Roberto Martinez. Villa scored more goals from set-pieces than any other team in Europe's top five leagues during the 2023-24 season and ranked among the top five a season later, finishing joint-top with Arsenal in the Premier League last season.
Why it matters for Aston Villa
MacPhee would be one of a number of staff members to leave Villa Park this summer after helping the club win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League under manager Unai Emery. Villa finished fourth in the Premier League last season with 65 points, 19 wins, 8 draws, and 11 losses, ending the campaign on a four-game winning run. Their last result was a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on May 24, 2026.
What comes next?
New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has space in his current backroom staff as previous set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva is moving away from a touchline role. Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m this week, with Alejandro Garnacho moving in the other direction on an initial loan that will likely become permanent. Villa's next fixture is an away game against Chelsea on December 19, 2026, with the Blues currently 10th in the table.
