Chelsea: Carragher claims supposed ‘signing of century’ is past-it as Wright hits out at transfer mistake | OneFootball

Jamie Carragher has questioned Chelsea’s new signing Emiliano Martinez, while Ian Wright has hit out at a Blues transfer mistake.

In recent seasons, the goalkeeping department has been a glaring weakness for Chelsea, who spent too much time with Robert Sanchez as their No.1.

In the summer, the Blues tried to fix this problem with the £7.5m signing of Martinez from Aston Villa, and Man Utd legend Nicky Butt has argued that he could be the “signing of the century”.

However, Martinez has been criticised after he should have done better with Kai Havertz’s goal during Sunday’s 2-1 loss against Arsenal.

And speaking after the match, Carragher has scrutinised the Martinez signing because the goalkeeper is not the player he once was.

“Isn’t quite as sharp or quick as he once was…”

“I think the goalkeeper saves that two or three years ago,” Carragher said on Sky Sports about Havertz’s equaliser for Arsenal.

“What Chelsea have done, it’s better for everyone that Robert Sanchez isn’t in goal because he’s not quite at the level despite being a good goalkeeper.

“You go and get someone who has been a great goalkeeper and who in the eyes is still one. But they’re not bringing in the goalkeeper who won the World Cup.

“It isn’t a mistake, it was a great deal for £7.5m and he’s still a realy good goalkeeper and he’s better than Sanchez. It will make everyone feel a bit more confident as well.

“The first Arsenal goal isn’t a mistake, it’s just a goalkeeper who isn’t quite as sharp or quick as he once was to get down. There’s a difference between that and a keeper dropping a cross, it’s just a goalkeeper not reacting quick enough.

“Martinez has been a brilliant goalkeeper and he’s still a very good goalkeeper but he’s not the goalkeeper who won the World Cup, he’s not, and that was a little insight into that.”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright, meanwhile, thinks Chelsea are going to have a “problem” in midfield after failing to sign a replacement for Enzo Fernandes following his move to Manchester City.

“I think that their front three is going to cause a lot of people problems but I feel it is going to come down to the midfield,” Wright said on Sky Sports.

“I genuinely believe they probably would’ve known that Enzo was going to definitely go, Santos went earlier and they tried to get Lamine Camarra from Monaco at the end. They could’ve just done that earlier because Enzo was always going to go.

“The only problem they will have is the midfield and the problems they may have with a couple of injuries from players in their midfield.

“In respects of their team and the front guys they’ll be able to beat a lot of teams in the league and once they know exactly what he (Alonso) is doing.

“When Xabi finished at Leverkusen they averaged 62% possession so they’re going to change, they will play in a different way and be a team that challenges up there.”