Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez from Aston Villa for a reported €8.7 million.
The 33-year-old has signed a three-year contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2029, joining Xabi Alonso’s project after six years at Villa Park.
Martinez’s move follows growing uncertainty over Robert Sanchez’s position as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper. The Argentine had also been seeking an exit from Villa after the club signed Japan international Zion Suzuki from Parma earlier this month.
Villa confirmed Suzuki’s arrival as competition for the goalkeeping position, paving the way for Martinez to leave after making 256 appearances for the club since joining from Arsenal in 2020.
Martinez established himself as one of the Premier League’s leading goalkeepers during his time at Villa and played a key role in the club’s recent success.
Last season, he helped Unai Emery’s side finish fourth in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League and lift the Europa League. However, he will not be eligible to play in European competition for Chelsea this campaign.
At Chelsea, Martinez is expected to compete with Sanchez for the starting role. Sanchez’s position has come under renewed scrutiny after he made mistakes during Chelsea’s 3-2 opening-day victory over Fulham.
“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,” Martinez said.
Martinez has also been a key figure for Argentina, helping the national team win the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.
His departure adds to a series of major exits from Villa during a busy transfer window, with Morgan Rogers joining Chelsea, while Youri Tielemans moved to Manchester United. Jadon Sancho, Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne have also left the club.
