"BREAKING: Chelsea reach verbal agreement to sign Emiliano Martínez, HERE WE GO! Club to club agreement with Aston Villa on fee worth £7.5m for permanent move," Fabrizio Romano wrote, quoted by football365.com. That lines up with reports that Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m deal for Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa, with the Argentina keeper expected to become the club's first-choice goalkeeper.

The move has gathered pace straight after Robert Sánchez made two high-profile errors in Monday's win over Fulham. It would be too simple to pin a major transfer call on one game, but the latest mistakes have clearly pushed Chelsea's rethink into action.

Chelsea's goalkeeper rethink

Chelsea had backed Sanchez, but the mood around that position has changed quickly. His two mistakes against Fulham have come at a bad time, because they fit a broader run of uneven form rather than standing alone.

Across Chelsea's last five matches, they have won once, drawn once and lost three times. They also finished 10th in the 2024-25 Premier League season's final table, which helps explain why the club are acting fast in key positions before the new campaign settles.

Sanchez's recent average from his last five outings sits at 6.4 when rounded to one decimal. That number should not be treated as a full verdict on a goalkeeper, but it adds to the case that Chelsea no longer see the position as stable.

Martinez, by contrast, looks like an experience play. He is 33, is set to undergo a medical in London, and the expectation is that he arrives as Chelsea's new No 1.

The state of the deal

Romano had previously reported that Chelsea were in active talks with Martinez's camp and Villa while they worked through the structure of the move. In that earlier update, quoted by football365.com, he said: "Chelsea maintain active talks for Emiliano Martínez deal with player's camp and Aston Villa, understanding if can be a loan move — plus all details on formula. Dibu would be open to joining #CFC as reported, keen on the move. Up to Chelsea with final decision to follow."

That leaves a bit of noise around the early shape of the transfer. Some reporting suggested Chelsea first explored a loan before moving to a permanent deal, while several outlets went straight to the £7.5m agreement. The stronger reading now is that the clubs have a verbal agreement in place for a permanent move, but the transfer should still be described that way until the medical is done.

There is a similar distinction around how advanced the transfer is. Most reports describe the deal as agreed or verbally agreed, while at least one line elsewhere has been more cautious. Given the number of aligned reports and Romano's update, Chelsea have moved well beyond tentative interest, even if Martinez has not completed the switch yet.

Villa's opening and Chelsea's logic

Villa's side of this is fairly straightforward. They have been willing to sell Martinez since signing Zion Suzuki from Parma for about £30m, which made one of the market's more recognisable goalkeepers available late in the window.

That matters for Chelsea because this is a relatively modest fee for a player expected to walk straight into the team. Martinez had also attracted interest from Juventus earlier in the window, but that move collapsed because of concerns over a finger injury.

Villa were not selling from a position of collapse either. They finished fourth in the 2024-25 season, so this is a squad decision rather than a distressed sale.

Chelsea's other business can wait here. Atalanta and Honest Ahanor are separate stories; the immediate one is the goalkeeper spot, and the next formal step in Martinez's move is that medical in London.

FAQ

Will Emiliano Martinez become Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper?

That is the expectation around the move. Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m deal with Aston Villa for Martinez, and reports around the transfer say he is expected to arrive as the club's new first-choice goalkeeper rather than as cover.

Why are Chelsea trying to sign a new goalkeeper after Fulham?

Robert Sanchez made two high-profile errors in Monday's win over Fulham, and those mistakes have added pressure to Chelsea's goalkeeper situation. The club's wider form also matters here, with only one win in their last five matches and a 10th-place finish in the 2024-25 Premier League season.

Was Emiliano Martinez first discussed as a loan move to Chelsea?

Some reporting said Chelsea initially explored a loan for Martinez before shifting to a permanent deal. Other outlets moved straight to the £7.5m permanent agreement. The firmer line now is that Chelsea have agreed a £7.5m move with Aston Villa, though the transfer is still being described as a verbal agreement rather than completed.

Why would Aston Villa sell Emiliano Martinez to Chelsea now?

Villa have been open to selling Martinez since signing Zion Suzuki from Parma for about £30m. That made the timing workable for Chelsea, even though Villa finished fourth in the Premier League in 2024-25 and Martinez had also drawn interest from Juventus earlier in the window.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 9 outlets. How we work →