Chelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa for a £7.5m fee to sign goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. The 33-year-old Argentina international is expected to undergo a medical in London, aiming to bolster the goalkeeping options at Stamford Bridge.
This development comes after recent concerns regarding the performances of Robert Sanchez, who has been Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper since 2023. Sanchez's display in Monday's 3-2 victory over Fulham, where he allowed a shot to slip through his grasp and spilled another effort leading to a goal, reportedly prompted the move.
Aston Villa have been open to selling Martinez since they acquired Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for approximately £30m earlier this month. This transfer is the latest in a series of deals between Chelsea and Villa, which recently included forward Morgan Rogers moving to Chelsea for £117m and Alejandro Garnacho joining Villa on an initial loan.
Nicolas Jackson, a striker valued at around £65m, was also completing a medical at Villa Park on Thursday, preparing to reunite with his former manager Unai Emery. Juventus had previously attempted to sign Martinez earlier in the transfer window, but that deal fell through due to concerns over a finger injury.