Aston Villa agree £7.5m sale of Emiliano Martinez to Chelsea | OneFootball

According to ExpressAndStar.com, Aston Villa have agreed to sell Emiliano Martinez to Chelsea for £7.5m. The 33-year-old will move to Stamford Bridge on a two-year deal, ending his six-year stay at Villa.

Martinez’s representatives contacted Chelsea on Wednesday and talks progressed quickly to a deal. He is likely to become the club’s number one.

Chelsea’s goalkeeping has faced renewed scrutiny after Robert Sanchez’s poor display in Monday’s 3-2 win at Fulham, when a tame Josh King shot squeezed through him.

It had been hoped that 19-year-old Belgian Mike Penders, who spent last season on loan at Strasbourg and made his first-team debut against Luton in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, would eventually challenge Sanchez. The chance to add an experienced Premier League and international goalkeeper holds clear appeal for a club looking to challenge for the title this season.

Villa signed Japan international Zion Suzuki earlier in the window and had been seeking to move Martinez on after a proposed transfer to Juventus fell through earlier in August.

Martinez joined from Arsenal for £17m in 2020. Villa have aimed to lower their squad’s average age and meet UEFA and Premier League financial rules, with Morgan Rogers sold to Chelsea for £117m and Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne also departing this summer.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”