Chelsea have signed Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa for £7.5m, marking the eighth transfer between the two Premier League clubs in the past four years – more than any other pairing of English top-flight sides. The move highlights an unusually close trading relationship between the clubs, forged since Chelsea's BlueCo ownership took over in 2022, and driven partly by a personal rapport between Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali and Villa owner Nassef Sawiris. While no rules are alleged to have been broken, the frequency of dealings has drawn scrutiny from other Premier League executives amid ongoing financial regulation pressures.

The 33-year-old World Cup winner, who joined Villa from Arsenal in 2020 and helped the club win last season's Europa League, has signed a three-year Chelsea deal. His move follows Nicolas Jackson's switch to Villa last week, part of a flurry of four transfers between the clubs this summer alone, alongside Morgan Rogers' £117m move to Chelsea and Alejandro Garnacho's loan to Villa. Since 2022, Chelsea have paid Villa £163.5m for players, while Villa have spent £102.5m on Chelsea signings, a figure that could rise to £150.5m if Garnacho's loan becomes permanent.