Evening Standard
·17 August 2026
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·17 August 2026
Former Arsenal ‘keeper had been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge
Chelsea remain happy with the goalkeepers already at the club and are not interested in Emi Martinez.
Standard Sport understands the club are content with the options they already have in their ranks, with Robert Sanchez as No1 and Mike Penders as second choice.
It comes after some tentative speculation over the Blues targeting the Argentina goalkeeper Martinez following his uncertain future at Villa.
But sources at Chelsea insist there has been no change of heart despite Martinez’s move to Juventus breaking down. He remains a player they have no transfer interest in.
Chelsea are preparing to head into the 2026-27 season with Sanchez again as their first-choice shot-stopper. He was briefly dropped last season by Liam Rosenior in favour of now-Strasbourg goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, but that had disastrous results and the Spaniard was reinstated. He is expected to remain first-choice under new manager Xabi Alonso.
However, it is understood Chelsea never held any interest in him this summer, as they decided early on that they were content to stick with Sanchez and Penders, the young Belgian who they recalled from a loan spell at sister club Strasbourg.
Martinez, 33, appears to be in limbo after a potential move to Juventus broke down on Sunday night.
Juventus then agreed a loan deal for Tottenham’s goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario instead, which included an £8.5million option to buy.
Martinez’s replacement at Villa is Zion Suzuki, who is moving to Villa Park from Parma for around £30million.
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