Chelsea have activated the release clause in Austin MacPhee’s contract, clearing the way for the 46-year-old to join Xabi Alonso’s coaching staff at Stamford Bridge.
MacPhee will end his five-year spell at Aston Villa, having already said his farewells to colleagues at Villa Park. The appointment leaves Villa searching for a new set-piece coach ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Widely regarded as one of the best set-piece specialists in football, MacPhee arrives at Chelsea following Bernardo Cueva’s departure from the role as part of Alonso’s coaching reshuffle.
His appointment comes after Softfootball reported Chelsea’s club-record signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, further strengthening the growing links between the two clubs this summer.
MacPhee built an outstanding reputation during his time under Unai Emery. Aston Villa scored 29 goals from set pieces last season, the joint-highest total across Europe’s top leagues alongside Arsenal.
Chelsea, meanwhile, conceded 11 goals from set pieces during the same campaign, making the improvement of dead-ball situations a key priority for Alonso ahead of the new season.
MacPhee’s arrival is expected to play a major role in addressing that weakness as Chelsea continue rebuilding both on and off the pitch.
