Chelsea have officially signed goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez from Aston Villa on a three-year deal, the West London club confirmed on Sunday. While the financial terms were not formally announced, British media outlets report that the transfer fee for the 33-year-old is approximately £7.5 million ($10.15 million).
Expressing his ambition upon joining the club, Martinez stated, “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.”
The move follows Aston Villa’s acquisition of Japan international Zion Suzuki from Parma earlier this month, which facilitated the Argentine’s departure after a six-year tenure at Villa Park. During his time at the club, Martinez made 256 appearances after joining from Arsenal in 2020, cementing his reputation as one of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers. He was instrumental in Unai Emery’s side finishing fourth last season to secure Champions League qualification and winning the Europa League.
At Stamford Bridge, Martinez will compete with Robert Sanchez for the starting position. Sanchez has served as Chelsea’s primary goalkeeper since his 2023 arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion, though his position has faced scrutiny following errors during the team’s 3-2 opening-day win against Fulham.
Beyond his club achievements, Martinez has been a cornerstone of Argentina’s international success, contributing to their 2022 FIFA World Cup victory, a runner-up finish in 2026, and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024. His exit is part of a significant squad overhaul at Villa, which has seen departures including Morgan Rogers—who moved to Chelsea for a British record fee—as well as Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, and the exits of Jadon Sancho, Douglas Luiz, and Lucas Digne. The report also notes that the first-choice goalkeeper also won Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.
Comments