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Chelsea confirm signing of Emi Martinez from Aston Villa
The World Cup winner is expected to take over as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper after Robert Sanchez’s errors and a collapsed move to Juventus.
On Sunday, August 30, 2026, Chelsea signed goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa on a three-year, £7.5 million deal, with the 33-year-old registered by Friday's 12pm BST deadline to ensure immediate eligibility.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso recruited Martínez following Robert Sánchez's performance errors in the season opener against Fulham, while Aston Villa facilitated the departure after signing Japan international Zion Suzuki earlier this month.
Describing the move as an 'easy decision,' Martínez pledged to give "100 per cent every game" in an official statement, after a failed move to Juventus earlier in August left him seeking a fresh opportunity.
Registered in time, Martínez immediately displaced Sánchez to make his debut against Brighton on Sunday at Stamford Bridge, where manager Alonso handed the Argentine his first competitive appearance.
This £7.5 million agreement marks the eighth deal between the two clubs since 2022, during which Chelsea has paid Aston Villa £163.5 million for players, underscoring an intensified transfer relationship.
"I am pure passion and I play with my heart," he said. I will give 100% in each game, in each training, so that the club, my colleagues and fans feel proud," said the albiceleste goalkeeper