Emi Martinez Approves Transfer to Chelsea, Potential Debut at Emirates Stadium
In a significant development, Emi Martinez, goalkeeper for Aston Villa, has been offered to Chelsea, with the club actively considering the signing. The news was reported on Wednesday by David Ornstein and Jacob Tanswell from The Athletic.
Previously, Martinez had been poised for a move to Juventus; however, that transfer fell through. Aston Villa has since acquired Zion Suzuki as a replacement for the Argentine goalkeeper. Given his current situation, it appears that Martinez may need to leave the club to secure regular playing time.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Martinez is ready to make the switch to Chelsea. The club’s management, ownership, and head coach Xabi Alonso are engaged in serious discussions regarding the potential transfer.
Romano adds that before moving forward with the acquisition, Chelsea will need to sell a goalkeeper, creating a tight timeline for the operation.
If Martinez joins Chelsea before the upcoming deadline day, his debut could occur in a high-stakes Premier League match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 6th, at 16:30 BST.
In the previous season, Martinez had a challenging campaign with Aston Villa, maintaining only eight clean sheets in the Premier League, which placed him outside the top ten goalkeepers. His performance in the Europa League was more favorable, contributing to Villa’s victory in the tournament, yet the club appears to be in search of improvement as they prepare for the rigors of Champions League competition.
For Chelsea, who currently lack any European fixtures, ensuring that Martinez receives ample opportunities domestically is crucial. Should everything align, his transfer would not be unexpected, particularly in light of Robert Sanchez‘s recent performances.
Emi Martinez has approved a move to Chelsea, with the possibility that the former Arsenal goalkeeper could make his debut for the Blues at the Emirates Stadium.
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David Ornstein and Jacob Tanswell broke the news for The Athletic on Wednesday that Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been offered by his representatives to Chelsea, and the Blues are considering signing him.
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Martinez was previously set for a move to Juventus, but that fell through, and Villa have replaced Martinez with Zion Suzuki. If the goalkeeper wants regular minutes, he probably needs to leave the club.
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As a result, it’s no surprise that Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Martinez has approved a move to Chelsea, and Chelsea’s management, ownership, and head coach Xabi Alonso are in serious internal talks to assess the signing.
Romano adds that Chelsea would need to sell a goalkeeper first, so they’re on a tight schedule now.
If Martinez does join Chelsea around deadline day (next Tuesday), his first opportunity to play for his new club would coincidentally be away to Arsenal. Chelsea visit Arsenal for a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 6th at 16:30 BST.
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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 would need to be sure he’s going to get minutes domestically. But if he is, the transfer wouldn’t be a surprise, particularly after Robert Sanchez‘s recent performances.
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