Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has insisted there is no 'relationship' between his club and Chelsea, claiming the Blues want to "kill" his team after signing Emi Martinez and Morgan Rogers this summer. Martinez's move to Chelsea for £7.5 million was the eighth deal between the two clubs in the past four years, with Alejandro Garnacho and Nicolas Jackson moving to Villa this summer.
Emery's blunt assessment
Aside from player transfers, Villa’s former set-piece coach, Austin MacPhee, also left for Chelsea earlier this summer, joining Xabi Alonso’s backroom team. Despite having less financial flexibility than Chelsea in the transfer market, Villa have finished above them in three of the last four seasons, qualifying for the Champions League in 2024/25 and last season.
Following Martinez and Jackson’s moves last week, Emery was asked whether having good relationships with clubs in the transfer market is helpful when negotiating deals.
"Good relations? The relationship is only through the deals for money and players," Emery said, before laughing. "They want to KILL us. And we want to kill them."
No friendship, only business
"It is not a relationship. We have good players and we can sign players from them, but it is not a good relationship. It is deals for money and players. They will want to kill us."
"They are signing Morgan and signing Emi Martinez to kill us. Of course, I am happy for Emi Martinez, and I am happy for Morgan Rogers, but I am not happy for Chelsea."
Emery's comments highlight the competitive tension between the two clubs, which have been frequent transfer partners in recent years. The eight deals between Villa and Chelsea in four years include notable moves in both directions, with Villa benefiting from Chelsea's player sales while also losing key figures to the London club.
The £7.5 million fee for Martinez represents a significant transfer for Villa, who have also secured the signings of Garnacho and Jackson from Chelsea this summer. MacPhee's departure to join Alonso's staff adds another layer to the inter-club connections.
Despite Chelsea's greater financial muscle, Villa have consistently outperformed them in the Premier League standings, a fact that may fuel the rivalry Emery describes. The Champions League qualification for two consecutive seasons underscores Villa's recent success under Emery's leadership.
