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Chelsea sign Emiliano Martínez as £7.5m new No.1

8/30/2026

25 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Martínez Joins Chelsea

Chelsea have signed Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa for £7.5m.
He signed a three-year contract with Chelsea.
He will replace Robert Sánchez as the club’s No.1 goalkeeper.
Martínez, 33, won the 2022 World Cup and the Yashin Trophy in 2023 and 2024.
Martínez has 67 Argentina caps and won Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024.

Summary

Alonso Signs Martínez

Xabi Alonso overruled earlier plans and signed Martínez despite the late-season transfer window.
The £7.5 million deal was completed with only days left in the window.
The signing blocks 21-year-old Mike Penders from becoming first-choice goalkeeper.
BlueCo gave Alonso greater transfer authority this summer, shifting from previous regimes.
Sánchez’s recent errors, including a poor showing against Fulham, accelerated the change.

History

Historical Context

After Chelsea paid £7 million for Petr Cech in February 2004, an injury to Carlo Cudicini thrust him into the starting role, where he set a Premier League record of 1,025 minutes without conceding and helped win the 2004-05 title. The club’s 2024 signing of Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez for £7.5 million under manager Xabi Alonso shows the lasting influence of that landmark goalkeeper investment.

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Martínez Joins Chelsea

Chelsea have signed Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa for £7.5m.
He signed a three-year contract with Chelsea.
He will replace Robert Sánchez as the club’s No.1 goalkeeper.
Martínez, 33, won the 2022 World Cup and the Yashin Trophy in 2023 and 2024.
Martínez has 67 Argentina caps and won Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024.

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