Chelsea Considering Late Move for Emi Martinez Amid Sanchez Concerns
Chelsea are exploring a late move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez after the Argentina international was offered to the club by his representatives.
The approach comes at a delicate moment for current No 1 Robert Sanchez, whose mistake in Monday’s win at Fulham has sharpened the debate over Chelsea’s goalkeeping situation.
Martinez on the market
Martinez is expected to move on after Aston Villa signed Zion Suzuki from Parma in a deal worth close to £30m, a signing that clears the way for the World Cup winner to leave.
Juventus had shown strong interest but ultimately chose to bring in Guglielmo Vicario from Spurs instead, leaving Martinez’s future open and his camp actively presenting options – Chelsea among them.
Since arriving from Arsenal in 2020, Martinez has grown into one of the elite goalkeepers in the game. He has made 256 appearances for Villa, anchoring the side through their resurgence under Unai Emery.
His time at Villa has brought silverware and status. He lifted the Europa League in May and helped drive the club into two Champions League campaigns, a transformation that has underlined his standing as a leader as much as a shot-stopper.
A serial winner for club and country
The 32-year-old’s résumé with Argentina is even more imposing. He was central to their World Cup triumph in 2022 and then part of the side that finished runners-up at the 2026 tournament.
He has also collected two Copa America titles, in 2021 and 2024, and the Finalissima in 2022, repeatedly delivering in high‑pressure games that define careers.
That track record is exactly what fuels the argument that Chelsea, if they are serious about returning to the top, cannot ignore an opportunity like this.
Merson: ‘One of the best in the world’
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson did not sugar-coat his view of Martinez – or of Chelsea’s current predicament between the posts.
“Martinez is available and he can be hard work sometimes. He comes across like that. But he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” Merson said.
“And if Chelsea want to get back to being one of the best in the world, you’ve got to have a top goalkeeper.”
Merson acknowledged Sanchez’s qualities but pointed to a pattern that worries him.
“Robert Sanchez is usually a good shot-stopper. This weekend, or against Arsenal at the Emirates in two weeks’ time, he could be mind-blowing. He could make save after save after save and you’ll sit there and go: ‘Wow.’ He could save Chelsea next week.
“I don’t like picking on goalkeepers because it’s a hard job – and you make one mistake for every 50 mistakes the outfield players make with their passing.
“But the match against Fulham was another game that he brought the other team back into the game.”
Costly moments, fragile control
Chelsea led 1-0 at Craven Cottage and looked ready to run away with it. Then came the lapse.
“At 1-0 you were looking at it and thinking this is going to be three or four,” Merson said. “But he lets in a cheap goal and all of a sudden the game has turned on its head really. It looked like Fulham were the team that were going to get the next goal.”
For Merson, title-winning sides simply do not live with that level of uncertainty in goal.
“I’ve never known a team ever win anything without a top goalie. I’m sitting there now thinking when was the last time David Raya made a mistake?
“The Wolves game in February maybe? But once. In February.
“Sanchez makes one mistake a week nearly. And a goal may not come from it, he might kick the ball out for a throw-in.
“Against Fulham, Chelsea were dominating, he takes a great catch from a corner and he plays a terrible throw out to Cole Palmer. That happens week in, week out. And the ball could be intercepted, the ball goes back into the box and the opposition score out of nothing.”
Martinez not a title fix – but a step up?
Even with all his praise for Martinez, Merson stopped short of claiming the Aston Villa keeper would instantly turn Chelsea into title contenders.
“I don’t think Martinez takes Chelsea towards the title,” he said. “You look at Arsenal’s squad and if you change a player, it hardly weakens the team. Every position is solid.
“If you look at Chelsea, they’ve got a lot of players in each position, but it weakens the team.”
For him, the club’s priorities are clear.
“The name of the game for Chelsea is to make sure when this season finishes, they are playing Champions League football next season. It’s as simple as that.
“They came 10th last season. And you’ve got to learn to walk before you can run.”
The question now is whether Chelsea decide that the first step in that walk is a new, battle-hardened No 1 – and whether Emi Martinez is the man they trust to start that climb.
