Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has rejected suggestions that his club enjoys a close relationship with Chelsea despite the growing number of transfer deals completed between the two Premier League sides.
His comments followed another round of player movement involving both clubs, including Emiliano Martinez’s switch from Aston Villa to Chelsea on Sunday.
Martinez became the eighth player to move between the clubs, either permanently or on loan, over the past four years.
The Argentina goalkeeper’s transfer came shortly after Nicolas Jackson moved in the opposite direction, leaving Chelsea to join Aston Villa.
The frequency of the deals has led to suggestions that the two clubs have developed a particularly strong working relationship in the transfer market.
Emery, however, dismissed that interpretation.
Speaking about the situation, the Villa manager said the transactions should be viewed strictly as business decisions rather than evidence of friendship between the clubs.
“Good relations?” Emery said. “They want to kill us and we want to kill them!”
He added that both clubs were simply acting in their own interests whenever the right transfer opportunity became available.
“We have good players and we can sign one player off them, it’s not a good relationship, it’s a deal for money and a deal for players,” Emery said.
The manager also referenced Emiliano Martinez and Morgan Rogers while explaining that he remained focused on what benefited Aston Villa.
“I am happy for Emiliano Martinez and Morgan Rogers and I know I am not happy for Chelsea,” he said.
Chelsea and Aston Villa have completed several major deals
The recent exchange of players between the two clubs dates back to 2022, when Chelsea’s current ownership group, BlueCo, took control of the London club.
One of the early deals saw Carney Chukwuemeka leave Aston Villa for Chelsea in a transfer worth £20 million.
Further business followed in subsequent windows.
Ian Maatsen later joined Aston Villa for £37.5 million, while Omari Kellyman moved in the opposite direction for £19 million.
Axel Disasi also joined Villa on loan in a deal reported to be worth £5 million.
The volume of transfer activity increased further during the current summer window.
Morgan Rogers completed a £117 million move to Chelsea, while Alejandro Garnacho joined Aston Villa on loan with a conditional obligation to buy reportedly valued at about £43 million.
Jackson subsequently left Chelsea for Villa in a £65 million transfer before Martinez completed his move to Stamford Bridge.
The series of transactions has made Chelsea and Aston Villa one of the most active pairings in the Premier League transfer market over the period.
Chelsea have reportedly paid Villa a combined £163.5 million for players since 2022.
Villa, meanwhile, have spent about £102.5 million on Chelsea players, including the loan fee paid for Disasi.
That figure could increase to around £150.5 million if the conditions attached to Garnacho’s move are met and the transfer becomes permanent.
Despite the significant amount of business conducted between the clubs, Emery insisted that sporting competition remains the defining feature of their relationship.
His remarks underline the distinction between cooperation in the transfer market and rivalry on the pitch, where both clubs continue to pursue their own ambitions in domestic competition.
With several high-value deals already completed between Chelsea and Aston Villa, further movement involving the two clubs could continue to attract attention, but Emery’s position remains clear: the transactions are business, not friendship.
