Unai Emery has moved to dispel any idea that Aston Villa and Chelsea share a cordial relationship, despite the two clubs conducting a string of significant transfer deals in recent years. The Villa manager framed the rivalry in blunt terms, describing the clubs as adversaries who would rather see each other fail than succeed.
This summer's transfer window produced yet another flurry of business between the pair. Chelsea paid a British-record £117m to sign Morgan Rogers from Villa, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez completed a £7.5m move in the opposite direction after twice signalling his wish to leave Villa Park. Villa, meanwhile, brought in Nicolas Jackson in a deal that could rise to £65m and could yet become their record signing, along with Alejandro Garnacho on loan with a conditional obligation to buy. Set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, one of three senior staff members to depart Emery's backroom team this summer, also left for Chelsea.
The clubs have a lengthy history of trading players. Villa signed Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea last year and paid £37.5m for Ian Maatsen in 2024, while Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Kellyman previously moved from Villa to Chelsea before eventually continuing their careers at Borussia Dortmund and Strasbourg respectively.
Despite the frequency of these transactions, Emery insisted there is no warmth behind the business dealings. "Good relations? The relationship is only through the deals – for money, for other players," he said. "They want to kill us. And we want to kill them … it is not a good relationship. 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."
The comments arrive with Villa set to host Arsenal on Monday, looking to respond after a heavy 4-0 defeat away to Brighton. Despite Chelsea's superior spending power in recent windows, it is Villa who have enjoyed the better run of form, securing Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons, while Chelsea failed to reach any European competition last term.
Emery could hand debuts to several new arrivals against Arsenal, including Jackson, former Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka – a Champions League winner in 2020 – and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. The manager acknowledged the scale of the rebuilding job ahead, with six starters from Villa's Europa League final appearance in May, including Martínez and Ollie Watkins, who left for Al-Hilal, having since departed the club.
"I know we must rebuild the team," Emery said. "We will need time. But we must compete on Monday. We needed to compete last Sunday in Brighton but we didn't compete. We are working every day as fast as possible to be ready, everybody."
The Spaniard also offered praise for his old club, backing Arsenal to be favourites for both the Premier League title and the Champions League under Mikel Arteta. "Arsenal, looking at the team with Arteta there seven years in a row, are getting better and better and are investing more and more," Emery said. "Arsenal are the favourites to win the Premier League and to win the Champions League. I like watching them a lot."
Emery additionally criticised the timing of the transfer window's closure, arguing that a deadline falling after the season has begun creates unnecessary disruption for clubs like Villa. "This year again I am wishing to finish the transfer window on 1 September and close the squad with the players I want," he said.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.