Chelsea Pursue Elite Set-Piece Coach Austin MacPhee

Chelsea have opened talks to bring Aston Villa’s highly rated set-piece coach Austin MacPhee to Stamford Bridge, stepping into a crowded race that also includes other Premier League clubs and sides from the Saudi Pro League.

It is not a straightforward chase. MacPhee is under contract at Villa Park and any club wanting him will have to trigger a release clause written into his deal, meaning Villa are entitled to compensation for one of the most influential backroom figures in Europe over the past two seasons.

A specialist with a track record

MacPhee, 46, has quietly become one of the most sought-after specialists in the modern game. The Scottish coach has juggled his Villa duties with a set-piece role for the Portugal national team for the past five years, working under Roberto Martinez before the former Everton and Belgium manager resigned after the World Cup.

His impact at Villa is measurable and stark. During the 2023-24 campaign, Unai Emery’s side scored more goals from set-pieces than any other team across Europe’s top five leagues, turning dead-ball situations into a weekly weapon. The following season, they stayed among the continent’s elite in that department, finishing joint-top with Arsenal for set-piece goals in the Premier League.

Those routines did not just pad statistics. They underpinned Villa’s surge, helping Emery’s team win the Europa Conference League and secure a place in the Champions League, achievements that have transformed the club’s trajectory and raised the profile of the staff behind the scenes.

Villa braced for more backroom change

MacPhee is expected to be one of several staff members to depart Villa Park this summer, a natural consequence of success as bigger budgets and new projects circle around Emery’s backroom team. Losing the architect of their set-piece dominance would be a significant shift, especially with Champions League football on the horizon.

Chelsea sense an opportunity

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has room to reshape his own staff. The club’s previous set-piece coach, Bernardo Cueva — recruited from Brentford in 2024 for £750,000 — is set to move away from a touchline role into a more background, analytical position.

That change opens a clear lane for a specialist like MacPhee, whose reputation is built on meticulous preparation, inventive routines and the ability to squeeze points out of fine margins. For a Chelsea side looking to sharpen every edge under a new head coach, set-pieces offer a quick, tangible area for improvement.

The competition, though, is real. Premier League rivals understand the value of a few extra goals from corners and free-kicks across a season, while Saudi Pro League clubs can offer financial packages that few European sides will match.

Chelsea have made their move. Villa have their clause. MacPhee, with his stock at an all-time high, now sits at the centre of a very modern transfer battle: not for a striker or a playmaker, but for the coach who scripts the moments that often decide titles.