Unai Emery has firmly rejected any suggestion that Aston Villa share a special bond with Chelsea, despite the two clubs completing multiple transfers during the summer window before it closed on 1 September.
Speaking after Emiliano Martinez and Morgan Rogers departed for Stamford Bridge, the Villa manager told reporters that the only connection between the sides is financial. According to Birmingham Live, Emery laughed when asked whether maintaining good relations with other clubs helps during negotiations, stating plainly that both teams are actively trying to weaken one another through their business.
The summer saw significant movement between the two squads. Martinez joined Chelsea in a deal worth £7.5 million, marking the eighth transaction involving the clubs over the past four years. In the opposite direction, Alejandro Garnacho and Nicolas Jackson arrived at Villa Park from west London.
Beyond player trading, the clubs also shared staff movements. Austin MacPhee, previously Villa's set-piece coach, left earlier in the summer to become part of Xabi Alonso's backroom team at Chelsea.
Despite operating with less financial flexibility than their London counterparts, Villa have consistently matched or bettered Chelsea's league position. The Midlands club finished above them in three of the previous four campaigns, securing Champions League football for both the 2024/25 season and the most recent term.
Emery acknowledged he was pleased for Martinez and Rogers personally regarding their career moves, but stressed that seeing them join a direct rival offered him no satisfaction whatsoever. With the transfer window now shut until January 2027, both squads are set for the months ahead without further dealings between them.
