Chelsea Secures Deal to Sign Emi Martinez from Aston Villa
The 30-year-old goalkeeper is set to sign a two-year contract with Chelsea, including an option for an additional year. Following Martinez’s departure, Villa has chosen to recruit Zion Suzuki as his replacement this summer. Martinez has reportedly been training alone since then, making a transfer the preferred choice for all involved.
Depending on the swift completion of the deal, Martinez has the potential to make his Chelsea debut against Arsenal. The match is scheduled for Sunday, September 6th, at 16:30 BST at the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea’s only match before that is a home game against Brighton. However, for Martinez to participate in that match, the deal must be wrapped up quickly, which would leave him without a chance to train with his new teammates beforehand.
Last season saw Martinez struggle at Aston Villa, as he managed only eight clean sheets in the Premier League and finished outside of the league’s top-10 goalkeepers. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s David Raya secured the top position for the third consecutive season.
Despite the challenges in the Premier League, Martinez and Villa fared better in European competitions, winning the Europa League. However, the club evidently determined a stronger option was necessary for their ambitions in the upcoming Champions League campaign. With Chelsea currently not participating in any European football, Martinez is keen to secure playing time domestically, especially in light of Robert Sanchez’s recent performances.
Chelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign former Arsenal goalkeeper Emi Martinez, and the player could now debut against the Gunners.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
David Ornstein and Simon Johnson report for The Athletic that Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Emi Martinez from Aston Villa, with the Blues to pay £7.5m for the goalkeeper.
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Martinez will sign a two-year deal with Chelsea, with the option to extend by an additional 12 months.
Villa had opted to replace Martinez with Zion Suzuki this summer, and the goalkeeper has reportedly been training alone ever since. A transfer was clearly the preferred option for all parties.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Depending on how quickly the deal gets done, Martinez could make his debut for Chelsea against Arsenal.
The Blues visit Arsenal for a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 6th at 16:30 BST.
The only game before that is Chelsea’s home game against Brighton on Sunday, but the move would have to be finalised very quickly for Martinez to feature in that match, and he wouldn’t get a chance to train with his new teammates first.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
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Martinez had a relatively poor year with Aston Villa in 2025/26, keeping just eight Premier League clean sheets to finish outside the top-10 goalkeepers in the division. Arsenal’s David Raya finished first for the third season in a row.
Things went better for Martinez and Villa in Europe, where they won the Europa League, but the club evidently decided they needed more between the sticks before their step up to Champions League football.
Given Chelsea have no form of European football at all, Martinez will want to ensure he’ll get minutes domestically. But that wouldn’t be a surprise, particularly after Robert Sanchez’s recent performances.
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
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