Chelsea reach £7.5m agreement for Aston Villa goalkeeper Martínez
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Aston Villa have added Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, while Chelsea’s £7.5m agreement to sign Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez puts further pressure on Robert Sánchez. The late-window moves matter because Chelsea are also managing Enzo Fernández’s desire to leave amid expected interest from Manchester City, potentially prompting further squad changes.
Goretzka, 31, joins after eight seasons and 312 appearances for Bayern, having earned 73 Germany caps. Martínez, who turns 34 next week, is expected to sign for two years with an optional third after falling out of favour following Villa’s signing of Zion Suzuki; Chelsea could loan Mike Penders, while they maintain City have not yet made contact over Fernández and would sell only on their terms.
- Villa sign experienced midfielder Goretzka for free
- Chelsea agree £7.5m Martínez deal
- Fernández’s future remains unresolved
New here? Start with this
Emiliano Martínez is an Argentina international goalkeeper who helped Aston Villa become regular contenders for European football after joining from Arsenal in 2020. He has also won the World Cup with Argentina, while Chelsea’s current first-choice goalkeeper, Robert Sánchez, joined from Brighton in 2023.
Chelsea and Aston Villa are Premier League rivals with ambitions to qualify for European competitions, so transfers between them can affect both clubs’ plans. A move for Martínez would give Chelsea another experienced option in a position where they have made several recent changes.
Leon Goretzka is a Germany midfielder who spent eight seasons at Bayern Munich, one of Europe’s most successful clubs. Enzo Fernández is a World Cup-winning Argentina midfielder signed by Chelsea from Benfica in 2023, and any future decision over his position could lead to further changes in Chelsea’s squad.
Full account
Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m fee with Aston Villa for goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, according to reports, with the Argentina international expected to undergo a medical in London. The 33-year-old would join Chelsea on a proposed two-year deal with an option for a further season, subject to completion of the move.
The prospective transfer follows renewed scrutiny of Robert Sánchez after Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Fulham, when he was involved in goalscoring incidents. Martínez’s arrival would increase competition in a goalkeeping group that also includes Mike Penders, the Belgian signed from Genk. It could leave Sánchez’s position uncertain and may affect whether Penders remains at the club or goes out on loan.
Villa appear prepared to sell after bringing in Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma earlier this month. Martínez has been a prominent figure for Villa and Argentina, while one report notes that a previous move to Juventus did not proceed amid concerns over a finger injury. The deal would continue a run of recent business between Chelsea and Villa.
The reports also place the move within a busy closing period of the transfer window for Chelsea. One says the club are anticipating possible interest from Manchester City in Enzo Fernández, although Chelsea sources maintain that no agreement is close. Any Martínez transfer remains subject to the usual medical and contractual formalities.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 presents Martínez as being out of favour following Villa’s purchase of Suzuki, says he is due to sign a two-year contract with a one-year option, and focuses heavily on the possible consequences for Sánchez, Penders and Enzo Fernández.
Source 2 describes Martínez as strengthening Chelsea’s goalkeeping group, gives more detail on Sánchez’s display against Fulham, and emphasises the clubs’ recent transfer dealings and Martínez’s unsuccessful Juventus move. It does not include the contractual detail or the Manchester City/Fernández developments.
More coverage
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Chelsea agree £7.5m deal to sign Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa”.