Chelsea Pursue Emiliano Martinez Amid Pressure on Sanchez
Chelsea have opened talks over a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, testing the water around a deal that would send another big name across an increasingly busy bridge between the two clubs.
The Argentina international, 33, is regarded as available after Villa brought in Japan’s Zion Suzuki from Parma for around £30m earlier this month. Suzuki’s arrival has shifted the goalkeeping hierarchy at Villa Park and left Martinez’s future in play for the first time in years.
Chelsea sense an opening.
A transfer would extend a remarkable recent trading pattern between the clubs. Chelsea smashed their transfer record to land forward Morgan Rogers from Villa for £117m, while Alejandro Garnacho headed in the opposite direction on an initial loan. Talks have also taken place over striker Nicolas Jackson, valued at about £65m, potentially reuniting him with former Villarreal boss Unai Emery at Villa.
This is not a cold relationship. Far from it.
The two clubs were already at the centre of a deal widely labelled a “PSR swap”, when Ian Maatsen moved to Villa and Omari Kellyman – now at Strasbourg – joined Chelsea. The channels are open, the trust is there, and both boards know how the other likes to work.
Martinez has not been short of admirers this summer. Juventus tried to sign him earlier in the window, only for the move to collapse over concerns about a finger injury. The Italian side pivoted and took Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario on loan instead, leaving one of Europe’s most decorated goalkeepers still in Birmingham and still available.
Now Chelsea are testing how available.
Sanchez under scrutiny
The interest comes with Chelsea’s own goalkeeping situation under the microscope. Robert Sanchez, installed as the club’s number one, endured a shaky start to the Premier League season at Fulham.
He was beaten at his near post by Josh King’s angled strike in the opener, a moment that drew immediate scrutiny. Later, he spilled another effort into a dangerous area, allowing Gonzalo Garcia to pounce. Chelsea escaped with a 3-2 win at Craven Cottage, but the questions around their goalkeeper did not.
Manager Xavi Alonso publicly backed Sanchez after the game, keeping his tone measured when asked again ahead of Thursday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.
“No, (we have had) normal conversations,” Alonso said. “We have talked more about the team thing, about what we did well and what we have to do better.
“It was more about understanding the context. Every game is going to be important because we are in this process that we still need to develop things, we need to make adjustments that are more team-related.”
The message was clear: the problem, at least in Alonso’s eyes, is collective, not just between the posts. Yet the timing of Chelsea’s move for Martinez will only intensify the spotlight on Sanchez.
Penders waits in the wings
There is also competition inside the building. Mike Penders, back from a strong loan spell at Strasbourg, is pushing for minutes and could start against Luton.
Asked about the 24-year-old’s involvement, Alonso kept his cards close.
“He’s in the squad, so he has an opportunity,” the head coach said. “We will decide and give the team to the players tomorrow, so I prefer to expect that they know first.”
That leaves Chelsea with three possible paths: double down on Sanchez, hand a real chance to Penders, or bring in Martinez, a World Cup winner with a reputation for big moments and bigger personalities.
With Villa already having moved for Suzuki and a proven trading line between the clubs, the pieces are on the board. The only question now is how bold Chelsea want to be in reshaping the most unforgiving position on the pitch.
