Chelsea don agree £7.5m fee to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. The Argentina international, wey be 33 years, go don undergo medical for London and strengthen the goalkeeping group for Stamford Bridge.
This one come after concerns over Robert Sanchez im performance, especially for Monday 3-2 win over Fulham. Sanchez, wey don be Chelsea first-choice goalkeeper since 2023, allow Josh King shot to slip through im hand for near post. He then spill another effort into dangerous area for second half, wey make striker Gonzalo Garcia score.
The move show say opinion don change for Stamford Bridge. Those wey dey in charge bin don back Sanchez, but dem don choose to move for Martinez days before transfer deadline. Chelsea also get Mike Penders, wey dem sign for £17m from Genk, among dem options. He dey line to make im debut for Carabao Cup against Luton Town on Thursday night.
Villa don dey ready to sell Martinez since dem sign Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for about £30m earlier this month. This one be latest for series of deals between Chelsea and Villa. The Blues sign forward Morgan Rogers from Villa for club-record £117m, while Alejandro Garnacho move for opposite direction on initial loan deal last month.
Striker Nicolas Jackson, wey dem value for about £65m, na im dey complete medical for Villa Park on Thursday as im prepare to reunite with im former Villarreal manager, Unai Emery. The clubs dey known to get close relationship. Dem also involve for deal wey dem widely describe as ‘PSR swap’, wey see defender Ian Maatsen join Villa and Omari Kellyman, wey now dey Strasbourg, move to Chelsea.
Juventus attempt to sign Martinez earlier for transfer window, but the deal collapse because of concerns over finger injury. The Italian club instead sign Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario on loan.
