Emi Martinez makes Chelsea debut as Xabi Alonso omits duo before transfer deadline day | OneFootball

Emiliano Martinez will make his Chelsea debut immediately after signing for the club in a £7.5m deal from Aston Villa.

Chelsea confirmed the deal on Sunday morning, but uncertainty surrounded the time of the deal and the Premier League deadline ahead of this afternoon’s clash with Brighton at Stamford Bridge.

But Martinez has been thrown into the line-up, with Mike Penders, who started against Luton in the Carabao Cup midweek, on the bench and the error-prone Robert Sanchez not in the squad and now facing an uncertain three days before Tuesday’s deadline.

Alonso has also left out Enzo Fernandez again, with a move to Man City still in the works before Tuesday’s deadline, though it remains unclear if City are willing to satisfy Chelsea’s demands with a reported £120m valuation.

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New Chelsea signing Emiliano Martinez arriving before the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge (PA)

Without Fernandez and Moises Caicedo still working back from an injury, Alonso has started Malo Gusto in the middle of midfield alongside Romeo Lavia.

While Martinez has outlined his ambition after securing a switch to Stamford Bridge.

“I’m delighted to be at this football club,' Martinez said after signing a three-year contract. “Coming to Chelsea, for me and my family, was an easy decision to make and I’m just over the moon - I can’t wait to get started.

“I want to be successful here. I'm someone who wants to win at everything I do and I want to bring that here to this football club because it’s a football club that wins titles, so I think it’s a good match.

“I’m all passion and I play with my heart. I will give 100 per cent every game, every training session to make the club, my teammates and the supporters proud.”

Chelsea XI vs Brighton: Martinez; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill (c); Neto, Gusto, Lavia, Hato; Palmer, Rogers; Joao Pedro

Chelsea substitutes: Penders, James, Acheampong, Chavarria, Caicedo, Barco, Gittens, Estevao Willian, Welbeck.