Chelsea appoints Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa
Chelsea have brought in Aston Villa’s set-piece coach, Austin MacPhee, in another blow to the Midlands-based club dealt by the west Londoners, reports BritPanorama.
The 46-year-old has been at Villa since August 2021 after working with the Northern Ireland national team, Hearts and FC Midtjylland. MacPhee is highly rated in the Villa camp, regularly seen on the touchline in games. The Villains scored 29 goals from set pieces during the 2025/26 season, level with Arsenal.
MacPhee has said his goodbyes to players and staff, according to Birmingham Live, as he heads down to west London for the upcoming campaign. His move comes after Morgan Rogers’ record-breaking £117 million transfer to Chelsea, with the Englishman taking aim at Arsenal upon signing by labelling the Blues as “the biggest club in London”.
The 23-year-old became the most expensive English footballer of all time after putting pen to paper on a long-term contract at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal had tracked Rogers for months and were heavily linked with the Aston Villa star following another outstanding campaign.
But Chelsea moved decisively after England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, opening negotiations almost immediately before quickly agreeing a blockbuster deal with Villa. Arsenal maintain the Gunners were unwilling to go beyond a valuation of around £80 million, leaving Chelsea free to press ahead with an offer worth £117 million.
The deal also eclipses the £106 million the west London club paid Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in 2023, making Rogers the most expensive signing in Chelsea’s history. Rogers then wasted little time making his feelings clear after the transfer was officially confirmed.
He said: “I’m so excited. For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I’ve always admired since I was a kid. I’m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we’ve got and where the club is heading. That’s why I’m here, and I can’t wait to get started.”
His comments are likely to raise eyebrows across north London given Arsenal’s long-standing interest before Chelsea swooped in to complete the deal. The Blues have admired Rogers for more than two years and stepped up their pursuit with the full backing of new manager Xabi Alonso, who identified the 23-year-old as a priority addition ahead of the new Premier League season.
Rogers has signed a six-year contract running until 2032, with Chelsea also holding the option to extend the agreement by a further 12 months. Alonso spoke personally with the England midfielder to discuss the club’s ambitions before personal terms were finalised, paving the way for the move to be completed within 48 hours.
As Rogers prepares for his debut season in west London, he will also be reunited with close friend and England teammate Cole Palmer, while Joao Pedro and Estevao are among the exciting attacking talents Chelsea have assembled as Alonso begins reshaping his squad. It’s a reminder of how swiftly the tides of football can turn, especially in the ever-competitive Premier League landscape.
