Chelsea sign Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa

What the report says

Chelsea have completed the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa, according to Al Jazeera, in a move that brings the 33-year-old back to London. The reported deal is for three years and is worth about $10 million, following five seasons at Villa.

Martinez said in a statement on Chelsea’s website that he wants to give full effort in matches and training to help the club, his teammates and supporters. Al Jazeera reported that he previously started his professional career with Arsenal but did not establish himself as a regular in their first team before leaving on loan spells and later joining Villa in 2020.

At Villa, Martinez made more than 250 appearances and was a key figure in Unai Emery’s squad that won the Europa League last season. He also played for Argentina when they won the 2022 World Cup. His move adds to a busy summer of transfer activity between Chelsea and Villa, and comes as Chelsea look to strengthen a position that has drawn scrutiny in recent seasons.

The article said Chelsea will hope Martinez can stabilize the goalkeeper role under new manager Xabi Alonso. His arrival follows criticism of existing No. 1 Robert Sanchez after Chelsea’s Premier League opening win over Fulham.