Emery Denies Good Relationship Between Chelsea and Villa

Unai Emery, the manager of Aston Villa, has dismissed claims of a good relationship between his club and Chelsea, despite a notable series of player transfers between the two Premier League teams. Emiliano Martinez's transfer from Villa to Chelsea on Sunday marked the eighth player exchange in four years.

This transfer occurred shortly after Nicolas Jackson moved from Chelsea to Villa. Emery emphasized that the frequent transfers should not be interpreted as a sign of camaraderie, stating, “They want to kill us and we want to kill them!” He characterized the transactions as financial deals rather than evidence of a close relationship.

Since Chelsea's ownership change in 2022, the clubs have exchanged players with Chelsea spending £163.5 million on Villa players and Villa spending £102.5 million on Chelsea players. The total could rise to £150.5 million if conditions for Garnacho's permanent transfer are met.