Unai Emery Rejects Chelsea Friendship Talk Amid Busy Transfer Window Between Clubs

Unai Emery, the Aston Villa manager, has firmly dismissed claims suggesting a friendly relationship between his club and Chelsea, even after a hectic summer involving major player transfers between the two teams. Emery stressed that Premier League competition drives both sides to view each other as rivals on and off the pitch.

Transfer Activity Between Aston Villa and Chelsea

Over recent seasons, Aston Villa and Chelsea have been involved in an extraordinary volume of transfer dealings. This summer alone saw goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez move to Stamford Bridge for £7.5 million, following the high-profile £117 million transfer of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea. Meanwhile, Villa acquired Nicolas Jackson for a club-record fee of up to £65 million and secured Alejandro Garnacho on loan with an option to buy.

The financial exchanges between these clubs are huge. Since 2022, Chelsea has spent £163.5 million on Villa players, while Villa has paid £102.5 million to Chelsea, potentially rising to £150.5 million if Garnacho's deal becomes permanent. Such frequent transfers have caught the attention of other Premier League executives, though there is no indication of any wrongdoing.

Emery’s Take on the Relationship

Despite the constant dealings, Emery was quick to reject any idea of a growing friendship. He described the connection as purely business-driven. "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 sign players from them, but it’s not a good relationship; it’s a deal for money and players."

Emery also pointed out that Chelsea’s recruitment of key staff like set-piece coach Austin MacPhee aimed to weaken Villa. "They are signing Morgan, they are signing Emiliano Martinez to kill us," he added. "I am happy for Emiliano Martinez, I am happy for Morgan Rogers, but I know I’m not happy for Chelsea."

Aston Villa Faces Rebuilding Challenges

Villa has seen significant departures this summer, including Emiliano Martinez and star forward Ollie Watkins, who joined Al-Hilal. Six regular starters from their Europa League-winning team have left. Emery admitted rebuilding won’t be easy as he integrates new signings like Leon Goretzka and Zion Suzuki. "We must rebuild the team," Emery said. "We will need time. But we must compete on Monday. We needed to compete last Sunday at Brighton but we didn’t. We’re working every day as fast as possible to be ready, everybody."

Upcoming Fixture Against Arsenal

Villa faces a tough challenge hosting reigning champions Arsenal after a heavy 4-0 loss to Brighton. Emery may hand debuts to new players Jackson, Goretzka, and Suzuki as he rushes to strengthen his squad. He praised his former club ahead of the match: "Arsenal are the favourites. They have Mikel Arteta leading them for seven years in a row, getting better and better, investing more and more. They are growing bigger as a club with the players they can sign. Arteta is doing a fantastic job. Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League and the Champions League. I enjoy watching them a lot."

• Match: Aston Villa vs Arsenal
• Date: 31 Aug 2026
• Time: 21:00
• Competition: Premier League

• Upcoming Match: Arsenal vs Chelsea
• Date: 6 Sept 2026
• Time: 17:30
• Competition: Premier League