Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has dismissed any suggestion of a friendly relationship with Chelsea, despite a summer of significant transfer dealings between the Premier League clubs. Emery described the dynamic as purely transactional and openly hostile, framing it as a battle for supremacy.
What transfers have happened between Villa and Chelsea?
The 2026 summer window has seen a major flow of players and money between Villa Park and Stamford Bridge. Chelsea paid a British record fee of £117 million to sign forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. In the opposite direction, Nicolas Jackson joined Villa in a deal that could be worth up to £65 million, potentially making him the club's record signing. Villa also secured Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea with a conditional obligation to buy.
Further moves have strengthened the pipeline. Chelsea agreed a £7.5 million deal for Villa's goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who had expressed a desire to leave for a second straight season. Set-piece coach Austin MacPhee also moved to west London. These deals follow previous exchanges, including Villa's £37.5 million permanent signing of Ian Maatsen in 2024 and the loan of Axel Disasi last year.
What did Unai Emery say about the relationship?
Speaking ahead of Villa's Monday night fixture against Arsenal, Emery was blunt in his assessment. He told reporters, as covered by The Guardian Football, that good relations do not exist. "Good relations? The relationship is only through the deals – for money, for other players," Emery said. He expanded on the competitive nature of the business. "They want to kill us. And we want to kill them … it is not a good relationship."
Emery acknowledged the practical reasons for the deals but stressed the underlying rivalry. "Of course, because we have good players and we can as well sign players from them, but it’s not a good relationship, it’s a deal for money and a deal for players. And they will want to kill us. They are signing Morgan, they are signing Emiliano Martínez to kill us … I am happy for Emiliano Martínez, I am happy for Morgan Rogers and, of course, I know I am not happy for Chelsea."
How has the squad changed ahead of the new season?
The exits of Martínez and striker Ollie Watkins to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal mean six starters from Villa's Europa League-winning side in May have now departed this summer. This significant turnover presents a challenge as Villa prepare for a second Champions League campaign in three years. Emery admitted it is more difficult to build a cohesive team with so many changes occurring during the window. He said he is looking forward to the deadline passing on Tuesday so he can finalise his squad.
Villa's season has begun with a stumble, sitting 17th in the Premier League after one game. They suffered a 4-0 defeat at Brighton, leaving them with zero points, zero goals scored, and four conceded. That result puts them six points behind early leaders Manchester City in the title race. You can track their progress in the standings.
What is next for Aston Villa?
Attention now turns to halting that poor start. Villa host Mikel Arteta's Arsenal on Monday, a team Emery praised as favourites to retain the Premier League and win the Champions League. Following that, a quick turnaround sees Villa travel to face Hull City on Saturday, September 5th. Hull currently sit 2nd in the table, making it another tough early test. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page.
With the transfer window closing, Emery's immediate focus is on integrating new signings like Jackson and Garnacho into a team that needs to find its rhythm quickly. The manager's wish is to close the squad with the players he wants and begin the real work of mounting a challenge on multiple fronts, starting with the visit of the Gunners.
