Chelsea have agreed a £7.5 million deal with Aston Villa for Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, in one of the biggest late moves of the 2026 summer transfer window.
The agreement was reported on Thursday, August 27, 2026, with the 33-year-old expected to undergo a medical in London before completing his move to Stamford Bridge.
The reported transfer is for an initial two-year contract with an option for a further year.
Martinez’s arrival comes after Chelsea’s concerns over Robert Sánchez, particularly following the Blues’ 3-2 Premier League victory over Fulham on August 24.
Sánchez was criticised for his involvement in both goals Chelsea conceded, including allowing Josh King’s effort to slip through his grasp before another mistake contributed to Gonzalo Garcia‘s goal.
Chelsea had previously indicated they were comfortable with Sánchez and youngster Mike Penders, but the situation appears to have changed rapidly following the Fulham performance.
For Aston Villa, Martínez’s departure follows the arrival of Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who joined from Parma for around £30 million and was brought in as Villa’s new first-choice goalkeeper.
Villa manager Unai Emery had previously indicated that Martínez wanted a new challenge, opening the door for the World Cup winner to leave after six years at the club.
Martínez joined Villa from Arsenal in 2020 and made 256 appearances, while helping the club win the 2026 Europa League and secure a top-four Premier League finish.
Chelsea are gaining a goalkeeper with an impressive international résumé. Martínez was a key figure in Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph and has won the Yashin Trophy twice. Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson strongly backed the move, describing Martínez as “one of the best goalkeepers in the world” and arguing that Chelsea need a top goalkeeper if they want to return to the highest level. However, his arrival could create an interesting battle with Sánchez and Penders, particularly because Penders started Chelsea’s 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Luton Town on August 27.
The Martínez deal is also the latest chapter in an increasingly busy transfer relationship between Chelsea and Aston Villa. Chelsea recently signed Villa forward Morgan Rogers for a reported British-record £117 million, while Villa have been completing a move for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, reportedly worth up to £65 million. With Martínez now heading towards Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso could soon have one of the Premier League’s most experienced goalkeepers at his disposal as the club prepares for the rest of the 2026-27 campaign.