Chelsea Considering Late Move for Emi Martinez Amid Sanchez Pressure
Chelsea are exploring a late move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez after the Argentina international was offered to the club by his representatives.
The approach comes with current No 1 Robert Sanchez under renewed pressure following a costly mistake in Monday’s win at Fulham, an error that dragged the hosts back into a game Chelsea had appeared to control.
Martinez is expected to leave Villa after the Midlands club brought in Japan international Zion Suzuki from Parma in a deal worth close to £30m. With a new first-choice option secured, Villa are open to parting with their World Cup-winning keeper, who has been one of the pillars of Unai Emery’s side.
Juventus had previously shown strong interest in Martinez but ultimately opted to sign Guglielmo Vicario from Spurs, leaving the 32-year-old’s future unresolved as the window ticks down.
Since arriving from Arsenal in 2020, Martinez has transformed his reputation at Villa Park. He has made 256 appearances for the club, anchoring a side that climbed from mid-table uncertainty to back-to-back Champions League qualifications under Emery. The run was capped by Europa League glory in May, a landmark moment in Villa’s modern history with Martinez at its heart.
His international résumé is even more imposing. Martinez was central to Argentina’s World Cup triumph in 2022 and was in goal again as they finished runners-up at the 2026 tournament. He has also lifted Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, and the Finalissima in 2022, cementing his status as one of the most decorated and decisive goalkeepers of his generation.
That pedigree is exactly what some believe Chelsea lack.
Paul Merson, speaking on Sky Sports, did not hide his admiration for Martinez or his concern over Sanchez’s form.
“Martinez is available and he can be hard work sometimes. He comes across like that. But he's one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” Merson said. “And if Chelsea want to get back to being one of the best in the world, you've got to have a top goalkeeper.”
Merson acknowledged Sanchez’s shot-stopping ability and the capacity for spectacular performances.
“Robert Sanchez is usually a good shot-stopper. This weekend, or against Arsenal at the Emirates in two weeks' time, he could be mind-blowing. He could make save after save after save and you'll sit there and go: 'Wow.' He could save Chelsea next week.”
The problem, in Merson’s eyes, is the frequency of errors that keep opponents alive.
“I don't like picking on goalkeepers because it's a hard job – and you make one mistake for every 50 mistakes the outfield players make with their passing,” he said. “But the match against Fulham was another game that he brought the other team back into the game.
“At 1-0 you were looking at it and thinking this is going to be three or four. But he lets in a cheap goal and all of a sudden the game has turned on its head really. It looked like Fulham were the team that were going to get the next goal.”
Merson then drew a sharp contrast with the standards set at the top of the Premier League.
“I've never known a team ever win anything without a top goalie. I'm sitting there now thinking when was the last time David Raya made a mistake? The Wolves game in February maybe? But once. In February.
“Sanchez makes one mistake a week nearly. And a goal may not come from it, he might kick the ball out for a throw-in.
“Against Fulham, Chelsea were dominating, he takes a great catch from a corner and he plays a terrible throw out to Cole Palmer. That happens week in, week out. And the ball could be intercepted, the ball goes back into the box and the opposition score out of nothing.”
Even so, Merson does not believe that signing Martinez alone would instantly propel Chelsea into a title race.
“But I don't think Martinez takes Chelsea towards the title,” he said. “You look at Arsenal's squad and if you change a player, it hardly weakens the team. Every position is solid.
“If you look at Chelsea, they've got a lot of players in each position, but it weakens the team. The name of the game for Chelsea is to make sure when this season finishes, they are playing Champions League football next season. It's as simple as that.
“They came 10th last season. And you've got to learn to walk before you can run.”
For Chelsea, the question now is stark: do they trust Sanchez to grow through his mistakes, or move decisively for a World Cup winner to steady a project that cannot afford another season outside Europe’s elite?
