Unai Emery has described Aston Villa and Chelsea as rivals rather than allies, saying both clubs are determined to overcome one another despite completing several transfers between them in recent years.
Emiliano Martínez was the latest player to switch between the two sides after Chelsea spent £117m to recruit Morgan Rogers from Villa this summer. Nicolas Jackson, who may become Villa’s most expensive signing through a deal worth as much as £65m, also arrived alongside Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho joined on loan with a conditional requirement to make the move permanent.
The price paid for Rogers set a new record for a British player, while Martínez moved for £7.5m after indicating for the second consecutive season that he wanted to leave Villa Park. Austin MacPhee, the set-piece specialist and one of three important members of Emery’s staff to depart during the summer, also exchanged Villa for Chelsea.
Villa borrowed Axel Disasi from Chelsea last year, having paid £37.5m to permanently recruit Ian Maatsen from the London side in 2024. Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Kellyman, who now represent Borussia Dortmund and Strasbourg respectively, had previously travelled in the other direction in 2022 and 2024.
Emery rejected suggestions that Villa and Chelsea share a particularly friendly connection. “Good relations? The relationship exists only because of transfers, money and players,” he said.
“They are trying to defeat us, and we are trying to defeat them. It is not a friendship. We have talented players, and we can also recruit from their squad, but the connection is purely about transfer fees and footballers. They have taken Morgan and Emiliano Martínez because they want to weaken us. I am pleased for Emiliano Martínez and Morgan Rogers, but naturally I am not pleased for Chelsea.”
Villa welcome Arsenal on Monday as they seek a response to their disappointing 4-0 loss at Brighton. Emery’s side have achieved stronger results than Chelsea across recent seasons and are preparing for their second Champions League campaign in three years, while Chelsea failed to secure any European football last season.
Jackson, Leon Goretzka, who lifted the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2020, and Zion Suzuki could all make their Villa Park debuts. “I understand that the squad has to be rebuilt,” Emery said.
“That process will take time, but we still have to perform on Monday. We were also expected to compete at Brighton last Sunday, and we failed to do so. Everyone is working as quickly and intensely as possible each day to ensure we are prepared.”
Emery, who managed Arsenal for 18 months, applauded the progress achieved by his successor, Mikel Arteta. He considers his former side the leading candidates to retain the Premier League title and finally secure the Champions League trophy.
“Arsenal must be regarded as favourites. After seven consecutive years under Arteta, the team continues to improve while the club keeps increasing its investment. Their status is growing, and they can attract high-quality players. Arteta has performed exceptionally well. Arsenal are the strongest contenders for both the Premier League and the Champions League, and I greatly enjoy watching them play.”
Emery admitted he was eager for the transfer window to close on Tuesday, adding that approaches for important players had disrupted Villa’s preparations. Following the departures of Martínez and Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal, six members of the starting lineup from Villa’s Europa League victory in May will have left during the summer.
“Closing the transfer market on 1 September is not sensible. It can be especially challenging for clubs such as ours because an unusually high number of changes makes it difficult to assemble a competitive team before the season begins,” Emery said. “Once again, I am looking forward to the deadline arriving so we can finalise the squad with the players I want.”
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
