Chelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for £7.5m, with the 33-year-old expected to complete a medical in London before finalising the move.
The transfer would add an experienced option to Chelsea’s goalkeeping department at a time when Robert Sanchez has come under renewed scrutiny.
Sanchez has been the club’s regular first-choice goalkeeper since 2023, but his display in Monday’s 3-2 victory over Fulham raised fresh questions. He failed to keep out Josh King’s effort at the near post before later pushing another shot into a dangerous area, allowing Gonzalo Garcia to score.
Chelsea had previously shown a willingness to continue backing Sanchez, but the club has now changed course in the closing days of the transfer window by moving for Martinez.
The Blues also have Mike Penders among their senior options after signing the Belgian goalkeeper from Genk for £17m. Penders is expected to make his first appearance for Chelsea in Thursday’s Carabao Cup tie against Luton Town.
Aston Villa became more open to Martinez’s departure after completing a deal worth around £30m for Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma earlier this month.
Martinez’s switch would continue a busy period of transfer activity between Chelsea and Villa. Chelsea recently broke their club transfer record to sign Morgan Rogers from Villa for £117m, while Alejandro Garnacho moved to Villa on an initial loan agreement.
Nicolas Jackson could also be heading to Villa Park, with the striker undergoing a medical on Thursday ahead of a possible reunion with former Villarreal coach Unai Emery. Chelsea value Jackson at approximately £65m.
The two Premier League clubs have developed a close working relationship in the transfer market. Previous business included Ian Maatsen moving to Villa while Omari Kellyman joined Chelsea before later moving to Strasbourg, a pair of deals that attracted attention because of their implications for profit and sustainability regulations.
Martinez had also attracted interest from Juventus earlier in the window. However, negotiations with the Serie A side ended amid concerns over a finger problem. Juventus subsequently brought in Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario on loan.